Mumbai: In a recent development, Aurangabad man held for digital arrest claims to be victim himself | Mumbai News

Mumbai/Aurangabad: Aurangabad resident Chisti Ahteshamuddin, who was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a high-profile Rs 58 crore “digital arrest” fraud case, claims to be a victim of the fraud himself. He is among the 15 people arrested for their alleged role in receiving the proceeds of crime. His family in Aurangabad has claimed that Ahteshamuddin was arrested on Tuesday after investigators found that a portion of the defrauded money had been credited to his bank account. His family says that he had no connection to the fraud and that the credited amount was part of a private financial dispute. They claim Ahteshamuddin had earlier invested Rs 30 lakh in a mobile import-export and used white goods business run by Riyaz Ghulam Rabbani Shaikh. The amount came from Ahteshamuddin’s personal savings as well as money borrowed as a hand loan from close relatives. The investment was made about three years ago. When Riyaz allegedly stopped sharing profits, Ahteshamuddin demanded his money back. On Aug 25, Rs 20 lakh was deposited in Ahteshamuddin’s account from a third-party source. Riyaz reportedly sent Ahteshamuddin an email taking full responsibility for the transfer. Police are determining whether Ahteshamuddin was an unknowing conduit or a beneficiary of the proceeds of crime.