PANAJI
The Cyber Crime Cell of Goa Police has arrested a youth from Kerala in a fraud case in which a Panaji resident was allegedly forced to transfer more than Rs 90 lakh under the guise of a “digital arrest”.
The 21-year-old, Muhammad Rasique Pulikkal, was arrested following an investigation into a complaint filed on February 23. The victim reported being targeted by persons posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Mumbai.
According to the Cyber Crime Cell, the accused and his associates contacted the complainant through multiple WhatsApp numbers and falsely accused him of misusing personal information. They also claimed he was involved in a money laundering case linked to businessman Naresh Goyal and had received illegal commissions.
Under increasing threats, the complainant was placed under “digital arrest” and pressured into transferring Rs 90.85 lakh to settle the fake charges. Police said the accused used digital tools to deceive the victim and obtain the money.
A technical investigation led officers to Malappuram district in Kerala, where the Cyber Crime team arrested the accused. Police said Rs 5 lakh from the defrauded amount was routed through his bank account before being transferred to other accounts linked to his associates.
Further checks revealed that the same account was linked to at least two other cyber fraud cases in Karnataka and Goa, involving a total of Rs 2.1 crore.
The accused was produced before a court, and police are seeking custody for further questioning. Officials said the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to identify and arrest other members of the network.
