Trust Broken! AU Small Finance Bank Staff involved in Digital Arrest Fraud

A Bank Employee working in AU Small Finance Bank Staff has been arrested for being involved in Digital Arrest Fraud. The 32-year-old bank employee from Bengaluru has been arrested by the Cyber Crimes Wing of Hyderabad Police.

The accused, Prathap Kesari Pradhan, worked as a customer relations officer at AU Small Finance Bank in Bengaluru. Police found that he was linked to at least seven fraud cases across India, including two in Telangana.

Pradhan misused his job by opening and managing accounts for cyber fraudsters. He lured customers with promises of commission, collected their account details, and then shared them with criminals on WhatsApp. These accounts were later used to transfer fraudulent money.

The case came to light when a 60-year-old woman from Hyderabad lodged a complaint in July. She said she was cheated of over ₹10 lakh after receiving a call from a man pretending to be a Mumbai police officer. The caller claimed her Aadhaar and bank accounts were linked to money laundering. She was kept on a six-hour video call with people posing as police and RBI officials, who threatened her with jail for 3–11 years and a fine of ₹15 lakh.

The woman got scared and withdrew her fixed deposit and transferred ₹10,02,047 to an account given by the fraudsters. She was also sent fake letters from the CBI, RBI, and Enforcement Directorate, along with a forged police ID card. The criminals told her the money would be returned within 24 hours after “clearance.”

The gang even used fake Supreme Court orders and forged documents to convince the woman that she was under a ‘digital arrest.’ During investigation, the Hyderabad police traced the bank accounts and arrested Pradhan in Bengaluru.

Officials said the fraud involved many people, phone numbers, and accounts, showing it was part of a large organised cybercrime network.

Cases of Digital Frauds are on the rise. You are advised to stay safe and vigilant.