The short answer
There is no such thing as 'Digital Arrest' under Indian law. No police force, cyber crime cell, court, CBI, ED, or customs agency possesses the statutory authority to arrest, detain, or place anyone under surveillance over a phone call or video conference.
Any caller claiming you are under 'digital arrest' or instructing you not to disconnect a video call is an extortionist, not a police officer.
How the scam operates
Scammers rely on intimidation, fake authority, and emotional panic through a predictable playbook:
- 1You receive an automated call or message claiming an illegal parcel containing drugs, passports, or contraband was seized in your name.
- 2The call is transferred to a fake 'investigating officer' wearing a forged uniform on a WhatsApp or Skype video call with government banners in the background.
- 3They send forged arrest warrants, FIR copies, or court seizure orders bearing official emblems and fake seals.
- 4They demand that you liquidate your savings and transfer funds to a 'reserve verification account' to clear your name.
How genuine police procedures work
Legitimate police investigations follow strict statutory processes:
1. Police serve notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) by the modes the law prescribes. In January 2025 the Supreme Court held, in the Satender Kumar Antil proceedings, that such notices cannot be served by WhatsApp, SMS, email or any other electronic means. A notice that arrives only as a message or an attachment is not valid service.
2. Questioning takes place in person at a designated police station, never over an unrecorded private video call.
3. Police officers NEVER demand money transfers, bank verification fees, or cash deposits to avoid arrest.
What to do if you receive such a call
Disconnect the call immediately and do not transfer any money.
Report the incident to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in or call the national cyber helpline at 1930.
Block the caller and report the number on the Chakshu portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in).
This is a description of the public process, not legal advice. For advice about your own case, speak to a lawyer or the police station handling it.