Delhi police said an elderly businesswoman was held under nine days of virtual surveillance and coerced into transferring about ₹6.9 crore after fraudsters impersonated regulators and judges; 12 suspects were later arrested. Officials described the case as part of an international syndicate that pressures victims into repeated transfers and converts proceeds into cryptocurrency.

Delhi police reported a high‑value ‘digital arrest’ fraud in which an elderly businesswoman was subjected to nine days of continuous virtual surveillance and intimidation by perpetrators impersonating regulators, judges and law‑enforcement officers. Under persistent coercion, the victim transferred approximately ₹6.9 crore to accounts controlled by the fraudsters, who then moved funds through multiple accounts and converted a portion into cryptocurrency to obscure the trail. Investigators executed follow‑up operations that resulted in the arrest of 12 suspects linked to the racket, and authorities said the scheme bore hallmarks of an international syndicate that coordinates overseas handlers, local money mules and rapid crypto conversions to launder proceeds. Police are tracing transaction records, seizure logs and communication metadata to recover funds and identify cross‑border conduits. Officials warned citizens, particularly older individuals and business owners, to be skeptical of unsolicited official‑style communications and to verify any purported legal orders through formal channels. The case reinforces patterns where social engineering is coupled with crypto on‑ramps to accelerate laundering and frustrate recovery.