MEERUT, July 2 -- A 62-year-old progressive farmer from Shahjahanpur was duped of Rs.1.04 crore by an interstate cyber fraud gang that allegedly trapped him in a fake legal case and carried out what police have described as a "digital arrest." Seven members of the network, spread across multiple states, have been arrested, while the alleged mastermind remains at large.

The victim, Sharad Chandra Saxena of Mohalla Diwan Jograj in the Chowk Kotwali area, was targeted by scammers who posed as officials from law enforcement and financial agencies. They accused him of being linked to illegal transactions worth Rs.2.8 crore, claiming he was under probe in a fraud case, police said on Wednesday.

Over 14 days, the gang used video calls, forged ...