Wed Apr 16 17:09:38 UTC 2025: ## Gwalior Monk Swindled Out of ₹2.52 Crore in Elaborate Digital Arrest Scam
**Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh:** In what police are calling Madhya Pradesh’s largest digital arrest fraud, Swami Supradiptananda, secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior, was defrauded of ₹2.52 crore over a 26-day period.
The scam began on March 17th when the monk received a video call from individuals posing as Nashik police officers. They falsely claimed his name was implicated in a money laundering case involving businessman Naresh Goyal. Using this deception, the fraudsters manipulated the Swami into believing he needed to cooperate to avoid legal repercussions.
Over the course of the next 26 days, the perpetrators maintained constant video contact with the Swami, a tactic now being described as a “digital arrest.” Through intimidation and coercion, they systematically extracted the money in multiple installments, transferring the funds—totalling ₹2.52 crore—to 12 different bank accounts across India. The fraudsters even promised to return the money by April 15th, claiming it was a necessary verification step. When the funds were not returned, Swami Supradiptananda filed a complaint with the Gwalior police.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered by the Gwalior Crime Branch, and the case is now being investigated by the Cyber Police Station. ASP Niranjan Sharma confirmed the development, stating that the fraudsters used the Swami’s Aadhaar details after gaining his trust. Police suspect this could be part of a larger interstate or international operation and are actively working to trace the perpetrators and recover the stolen funds. The investigation is ongoing.
First Piper 