Gadag doctor held in 22-hour 'digital arrest' by cyber fraud gang
Gadag: In a disturbing case of cybercrime, a private doctor from Mulagund town in Karnataka’s Gadag district was subjected to a 22-hour-long digital arrest by a gang of cyber fraudsters posing as officials from a national investigative agency.
The incident took place on June 11 when Dr. S.C. Chavadi received a video call at 3:07 PM from individuals claiming to be officers of the "National Investigation Authority of India." They falsely accused him of being involved in a large-scale money laundering case via a Canara Bank account and claimed that a criminal case had been registered in his name at the Kaloba Police Station in Mumbai.
Despite Dr. Chavadi not having any account with Canara Bank, the fraudsters alleged that an arrest warrant had been issued against him. They instructed him to gather and share details of all his financial and property-related documents and warned him that he was under active investigation. To lend credibility to their claims, they even showed him the name and photograph of a local police officer from Mulagund.
In what is now being described as a digital arrest, Dr. Chavadi was kept under psychological pressure through continuous video calls for nearly 22 hours. An individual claiming to be an Inspector named Vijaykumar initially interrogated him and justified the remote questioning due to the doctor’s age. He was warned to remain silent about the matter and act normally with his family, as dangerous criminals, allegedly led by one Naresh Goyal, were "monitoring" him and could be near his home.
The next day around noon, another person claiming to be DCP Dayanayak resumed the video interrogation, telling Dr. Chavadi that the matter would be taken to the Supreme Court and that he would eventually need to appoint legal representation.
The ordeal ended only when locals, sensing something was wrong, alerted the police and rushed to Dr. Chavadi’s residence. Upon their arrival, they attempted to force open the door, prompting Dr. Chavadi to unlock it. As soon as a local police officer, CPI Sangamesh Shivayogi, began speaking over video call, the fraudsters abruptly terminated the call and vanished.
A formal complaint has been registered at the Gadag Cyber Crime Police Station, and investigations are ongoing.
CPI Shivayogi urged citizens not to fall prey to such digital arrests, which are emerging as a new form of cyber intimidation. “People must remain calm and report any suspicious digital communication to the nearest police station immediately. Never share personal information or documents over video calls from unknown sources,” he said.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
