Bhubaneswar, June 25: A retired professor from Bhubaneswar, who was duped of more than ₹2.45 crore in a digital arrest scam, has recovered ₹1.10 crore following timely intervention by the Cyber Crime Unit and legal proceedings. The case has once again highlighted the growing menace of cyber fraud in Odisha, where online scammers have siphoned off hundreds of crores of rupees in recent months.
According to official sources, cyber fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials contacted the retired professor in February and threatened him with arrest under the pretext of a criminal investigation. Fearing legal action and believing the claims to be genuine, the victim transferred ₹2,45,24,547 to accounts specified by the fraudsters.
After realizing that he had been cheated, the professor lodged a complaint with the Cyber Police Station in Bhubaneswar in March. The matter was also registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on May 15.
During the investigation, cyber crime officials traced multiple bank accounts used in the fraud. Acting swiftly, the cyber team managed to freeze ₹1.10 crore that had been deposited in a private bank account linked to the scam. Following a court order and completion of legal formalities, the frozen amount was returned to the victim’s bank account.
The case is being viewed as a significant success for the state’s cyber crime investigators, who continue to battle a sharp rise in online fraud cases.
Official data reveal that between January 2025 and April 2026, a total of 65,761 complaints were registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in Odisha. These complaints involved cyber fraud amounting to nearly ₹564.52 crore.
Of these, 49,426 complaints were registered during 2025 alone, involving fraud worth around ₹435.28 crore. Cyber investigators were able to freeze approximately ₹68.71 crore from the defrauded amount. So far, around ₹5.03 crore has been refunded to victims, while efforts are underway to return additional funds.
The figures also indicate that by the end of April this year, 6,335 cyber fraud complaints had been registered through the national cyber helpline number 1930. These cases involved financial fraud amounting to about ₹34.24 crore. Cyber teams managed to freeze nearly ₹24.27 crore in various bank accounts linked to the scams.
However, despite the funds being frozen, only about ₹2.97 crore has been returned to complainants so far, while nearly ₹22 crore remains stuck in the banking system. Officials and cyber experts point to delays in coordination among banks, regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies as a major reason for victims not receiving their money back promptly.
The latest figures underscore the urgent need for greater public awareness about digital arrest scams and other forms of cyber fraud, as well as stronger coordination between financial institutions and investigative agencies to ensure quicker recovery of stolen funds.
