In a major cybercrime incident in Andhra Pradesh, fraudsters duped the wife of ruling Telugu Desam Party MLA Putta Sudhakar Yadav and the mother of Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Yadav of a staggering Rs 1.7 crore, using the now-infamous “digital arrest” method.
MLA Sudhakar Yadav disclosed the details on Monday, revealing that scammers called his wife claiming she was under “digital arrest” in connection with a case and coerced her into transferring large sums of money.
The panic-inducing tactic has been increasingly used by cybercriminals across India to extort money from both common citizens and VIP families.
The MLA said the incident came to light around the same time actor Nagarjuna revealed that his family members too were placed under what police described as “digital arrest” for two days as part of a wider investigation linked to the crackdown on the iBomma piracy network by Telangana Police.
Following a complaint filed by the MLA, cybercrime authorities launched an investigation and have reportedly arrested seven accused, including a manager from IDFC Bank in Delhi, suggesting deep collusion between fraudsters and banking insiders.
The involvement of bank personnel, investigators say, enabled seamless movement of money across multiple accounts.
The “digital arrest” scam—where callers impersonate law-enforcement officials, claim legal violations, and threaten immediate consequences—has become a nationwide menace.
Despite repeated warnings and public campaigns, police forces have struggled to contain the surge of cases. The arrests in this case are expected to provide crucial leads into a larger network operating across states.
Authorities continue to track the money trail and are advising the public to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls invoking law-enforcement threats.
