What began as a promise of high returns quickly turned into a major cyber fraud case, after cybercriminals duped the wife of former CBI Joint Director V.V. Lakshmi Narayana of ₹2.58 crore through a sophisticated online investment scam.
A special team of the city cyber crime police has launched an intensive investigation into the case. “Our forensic experts and technical teams have launched a massive manhunt. Our top priority is tracing the money trail across multiple bank accounts to identify the perpetrators,” a senior police officer said.
According to investigators, forensic analysis of the victim’s devices revealed that between December 24, 2025, and January 5, 2026, a period of 13 days, the fraudsters convinced her to make 19 separate transactions. The money was routed into multiple “mule” bank accounts. When she stopped transferring funds, the scammers allegedly threatened her, claiming she would lose her entire investment.
Police said the syndicate used international routing servers to hide its location, prompting the involvement of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in the probe. Technical teams have been working to trace digital footprints across jurisdictions.
R.G. Siva Maruthi, ACP, cybercrime, said preliminary findings show that the fraudsters contacted the victim through unsolicited WhatsApp messages offering unusually high returns on stock market investments. Sources said the victim was promised returns of up to 500% on her investment.
One of the fraudsters, who identified himself as “Dinesh Singh,” reportedly spent nearly 2 months conducting what appeared to be detailed and “scholarly” trading sessions to build trust. To strengthen the deception, the scammers shared forged Sebi-certified documents to make the scheme appear legitimate.
Investigators have recovered key digital evidence from the victim’s mobile phone and email accounts. Police believe the crime was carefully planned and that the victim may have been targeted due to her profile.
In a calculated move, the fraudsters ensured that the former CBI officer joined a WhatsApp group at his wife’s request to help her understand technical aspects of the platform. Investigators believe this step unintentionally added credibility to the scheme in her eyes.
The case has drawn comparisons to high-profile cinematic heists, with police continuing efforts to track the money trail and identify those behind the fraud.
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