Kumara K. died by suicide on July 14 in his native village of Kelagere, Karnataka, leaving behind a handwritten note. His death is linked to a suspected case of digital arrest and extortion.
The 48-year-old deceased wrote the name and phone number of the accused in this one-page note — Vikram Goswami, who claimed to be a Central Bureau of Investigation officer.
Two weeks ago, Goswami allegedly called Kumara, telling him that an arrest warrant had been issued against him and demanded ₹1,95,000 to avoid being taken into custody. Kumara is said to have complied and made the payment. Over the following fortnight, Kumara claimed he ended up transferring a total of ₹11 lakh to Goswami.
When Goswami later demanded an additional ₹2.75 lakh, Kumara finally decided he could not continue any longer. Kumara had been scared and was speaking to a man in broken Hindi for the past 15 days.
“I am ending my life because of this harassment and ill health," Kumar wrote in the note, News18 reported. He was found hanging from a tree.
The death came to light on July 15 morning. The man, who worked for the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, leaves behind his wife and their eight-year-old son. Acting on a complaint filed by his wife, Savitramma, the M.K. Doddi police have booked Goswami on charges of abetment to suicide. A senior police officer reportedly said that initial findings and the pattern of events point to what appears to be a case of digital arrest.
NITI Aayog explains digital arrest as a scam designed to extort money from victims using fear, deceit and intimidation. Fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials, using threats of arrest, frozen bank accounts and passport cancellations to coerce victims into paying a "fine" or "security deposit" to avoid legal action.
The Architecture Behind The Crime
Digital arrests are not uncommon in India. On the contrary, as per the data from Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s answer to the parliament, the number of digital arrest scams and related cybercrimes in the country almost tripled between 2022 and 2024, with defrauded amounts skyrocketing by 21 times during the period.
“The cases are on rise not because of the gap in legal practises but because of the lack of awareness,” said Amit Dubey, a cyber crime investigator who has worked with government bodies to solve cybercrimes.
Numbers show that in 2022, 39,925 such incidents were reported, with the total defrauded amount of Rs 91.14 crore. However, by 2024, the number of such cases almost tripled to 1,23,672, with the total defrauded amount reported on the portal increasing by a staggering Rs 1,935.51 crore.
Dubey said, “People are afraid of the police and the judicial system, so when someone impersonates these authorities, they tend to believe it without question.”
He added that many victims end up blindly following the scammers’ instructions for days, sometimes even months. The fraudsters routinely invoke credible names—the Crime Branch of India, the Supreme Court, the Enforcement Directorate—to reinforce their claims and keep the pressure on.
“This is a psychological game, where the scammers do background research and then use your personal information against you, it is meticulously designed” he said. These are trained professionals, as it is not easy to stay engaged with people for hours and create a delusional world for them, Dubey mentioned.
He recounted that the longest case he is aware of, from Guwahati, stretched on for 29 days. According to him, the scammers generate chaalan numbers that appear credible and set up fake websites that look official. If a victim tries to verify their name, they can be directed to what seems like the Supreme Court’s website to download an arrest warrant supposedly issued against them—further “proving” their guilt. It is a calculated form of intimidation.
Scammers often start by telling you that a courier has arrived in your name but can be returned if you wish.
“The very first step of the victim is wrong—an idea is planted in your mind,” he explained.
They pretend to be on your side, offering to connect you with the state police to help resolve the issue. Soon after, you receive a video call that appears to come from a police station, complete with a convincing setup in the background.
Later, they escalate the claim, insisting the courier contained drugs and that more government agencies will now be involved.
“You can’t easily distrust someone who seems to be helping you,” he said, adding that at this point, the scammers present two options: either be digitally arrested or physically arrested. “Naturally, one chooses digital arrest.”
They then escalate the intimidation, declaring that the victim is now under digital arrest and must keep their phone switched on at all times. If they fail to comply, they are warned they will face physical arrest instead.
“Cybercriminals are not hacking your devices to reach you, they are hacking you to reach your devices.”
