Elderly doctor couple kept under 'digital arrest' for over two weeks in Delhi; duped of Rs 14 crore

New Delhi: An elderly doctor couple residing in south Delhi's Greater Kailash was allegedly cheated of nearly Rs 14 crore after cybercriminals placed them under "digital arrest" for over two weeks, police said on Saturday.

The fraud allegedly took place between December 24 and January 9, with the accused impersonating law enforcement officials and coercing the elderly couple to transfer money to multiple bank accounts, they said.

An e-FIR was lodged on Saturday, following which the cybercrime unit of Delhi Police initiated an investigation.

According to the police, the doctor couple had returned from the United States and had been living in Greater Kailash since 2016. Their children are settled abroad.

The accused allegedly exploited the couple's isolation and repeatedly threatened them with arrest and legal action, forcing them to remain on continuous phone and video calls, police said.

The fraud came to light after the calls stopped on January 9, prompting the couple to approach the authorities, they added.