By Matters India Reporter
Rourkela, July 1, 2026: A Catholic bishop had been scammed out of ₹1.43 million ($15,000) in a sophisticated “digital arrest” fraud, police said, after suspects posing as senior law enforcement officers coerced him into transfers.
Two Mumbai residents were arrested following an investigation by the Rourkela Cyber Crime and Economic Offences Police into the complaint filed by Bishop Kishore Kumar Kujur of Rourkela.
Deputy Inspector General (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai and Rourkela Superintendent of Police Nitesh Wadhwani identified the accused as Nayan Lalit Nathwani, 47, of Charkop, and Dhabal Paresh Pandya, 35, of Kandivali.
Both were apprehended in Mumbai and brought to Rourkela for further investigation, local media reported July 1.
Police said the fraud began with a phone call from a person impersonating a Mumbai Police officer who claimed that a mobile number registered in the bishop’s name had been used in criminal activities in January 2026.
The deception escalated through a video call with another individual posing as an Indian Police Service officer, followed by a third caller claiming to be from the Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s top federal investigators.
Investigators said the purported CBI officer alleged that the bishop’s Mumbai bank account was linked to money laundering and terror financing involving a person named Naresh Goyal.
Despite repeated denials, the bishop was shown what the fraudsters claimed was a non-bailable warrant issued by the Supreme Court and was warned he was under surveillance.
Authorities said the callers appeared to possess detailed personal information about the bishop, lending credibility to their claims. He was instructed to submit activity reports every three hours and was pressured to present himself before authorities in Mumbai or the Supreme Court.
Under mounting psychological pressure, the bishop was persuaded to transfer ₹36,500 as a filing fee and ₹14 lakh as a refundable security deposit. The money was sent electronically in two instalments, police said.
The case was registered on March 10 after Bishop Kujur realized he had been deceived. Investigators traced the suspects through bank transactions, mobile phone data, digital evidence and beneficiary accounts.
Police said the accused, identified as Goods and Services Tax brokers, are believed to be part of a wider cybercrime network spanning multiple states.
The incident underscores the growing threat of “digital arrest” scams, in which impersonators use intimidation and fabricated legal claims to extort money. Authorities urged the public to verify such communications through official channels and report suspicious calls promptly.
(Photo CC BY-NC 4.0)