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Farmer’s suicide over ‘digital arrest’: Vadodara police arrest 2 men who provided 438 SIM cards to cyber fraudsters

Vadodara SP Sushil Agrawal said the investigation into the phone records of Atul Patel, 58, who died by suicide in Dabhoi, led the police to the accused who had facilitated cyber fraudsters based in Cambodia.

3 min readVadodaraNov 26, 2025 06:37 PM IST

The accused, identified as Surat-based cousins Nikunj Pansheriya and Henil Pansheriya, were arrested for providing 438 SIM cards from across the country to fraudsters based abroad. (Express photo)

A week after a farmer in Gujarat’s Vadodara died by suicide allegedly following a threat of digital arrest, the Vadodara Rural police Wednesday arrested two people from Surat in connection with the case.

The accused, identified as Surat-based cousins Nikunj Pansheriya and Henil Pansheriya, were arrested for providing 438 SIM cards from across the country to fraudsters based abroad, one of which was reportedly used from Cambodia to threaten the farmer.

Sushil Agrawal, Superintendent of Police (SP), Vadodara, said the investigation into the phone records of Atul Patel, 58, who died by suicide in Dabhoi taluka’s Kayavarohan, led the police to the accused, who had facilitated cyber fraudsters based in Cambodia. The SIM cards used to threaten Patel had been registered in Surat but were active in Cambodia, while a second number active in Bengaluru had also been recently used to defraud a 65-year-old man of Rs 50 lakh in Bengaluru.

Patel died by suicide in his house on November 17, allegedly after being held in digital arrest for a day by a cyber fraudster. (Express photo)

Agrawal said, “The mobile phone of the deceased was sent for Forensic Analysis, and the numbers from which he had been receiving calls were traced. It was found that the number is active in Cambodia. The Vadodara rural police has already launched a hunt for one more accused and a look-out notice has been issued in case of the one accused who is outside India (in Cambodia).”

The police added that the two accused provided interstate SIM cards as well as for fraudsters abroad. “We have busted a network… They had promised someone 538 SIM cards and they delivered 438 so far. Other names have come to light and the accused are being traced. We are also attempting to make a SIM card recovery,” the officer said.

Patel died by suicide in his house on November 17, allegedly after being held in digital arrest for a day by a cyber fraudster. The criminal had contacted Patel, identifying himself as Inspector Gaurav Grover of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Delhi and threatening him with arrest in an alleged Rs 40 crore narcotics scam. Patel’s nephew, Ansh, had told the police that the victim had been “worried and tense” but did not share the details with his family members.

Aditi Raja

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More

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