Police said the victim alleged that he received a call from an unidentified mobile number on April 7, with the caller introducing himself as an official from the Cyber Cell, Bengaluru (Karnataka)

Noida: An 84-year-old man and his wife were allegedly duped to the tune of ₹85 lakh after he was put under digital arrest for 16 days in Noida, officials said on Monday, adding that a case was registered at the Cybercrime Branch police station.

Police said the victim, a resident of Sector 51, alleged that he received a call from an unidentified mobile number on April 7, with the caller introducing himself as an official from the Cyber Cell, Bengaluru (Karnataka).

“According to the caller, my Aadhaar card number was misused for the purchase of a mobile on January 16, 2026, and that phone was being misused for nefarious activities,” the FIR cites the complainant as stating.

Police said later, the call was transferred to another person, and he was informed that a case with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in which he was booked for money laundering and child trafficking, was pending against him.

“From April 7 to 22, the victim transferred ₹85 lakh in multiple transactions after breaking fixed deposits (FDs) and redeeming stock investments,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity.“The victim’s wife, who was aware of the arrest, was also threatened. But later when the suspects demanded ₹1.24 crore more, the man realised that it was a scam,” the officer added.Subsequently, the case was reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting (NCRP) portal, and a case under sections of cheating and cheating by personation of the BNS and IT Act was registered at the Cybercrime Branch police station.