Odisha Couple Escapes ₹1 Crore Cyber Extortion After 35-Hour “Digital Arrest” Ordeal

Bhubaneswar, February 13, 2026: In a shocking new cybercrime incident, a retired couple in Bhubaneswar’s Nayapalli area narrowly escaped falling victim to a ₹1 crore extortion scam after being kept under a virtual “digital arrest” for 35 hours.

According to reports, the couple, a retired senior officer of NALCO and his wife, received a call on February 9 from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be a police officer from Patna and alleged that the couple’s Aadhaar card had been misused by terrorists, linking them to money laundering and other illegal activities. The scammers warned that an arrest warrant had already been issued against them.

To intensify the pressure, the couple was made to appear before video calls where individuals in police uniforms threatened them with legal action. The cybercriminals instructed the couple to remain confined at home and demanded a ransom of ₹1 crore to “settle” the matter and avoid arrest. They even claimed that an HDFC Bank account had been opened in the couple’s name in Jammu & Kashmir, supposedly being used for illegal transactions.

Under immense stress, the couple remained indoors for more than 35 hours. However, when they went to a bank to transfer the demanded amount, officials quickly revealed that the account details provided by the scammers were inactive, alerting the couple to the fraud. They immediately contacted the cyber police, who have now registered a case and launched a technical investigation.

Authorities are analyzing call records, video links, bank account information, and digital trails to trace the scammers. Investigators are also examining IP addresses and device-level data to determine the origin of the calls and how the extortion was coordinated.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals and the importance of verifying information before transferring funds or complying with threats online.