In a deeply disturbing cyber fraud case, an 80-year-old retired government officer from Thane was swindled out of Rs 4.2 crore through a sophisticated ‘digital arrest’ scam. The incident unfolded between April 14 and April 30, and an FIR has now been filed at the Kapurbawdi Police Station.
The victim, identified as Vinod Joshi, a former official from the Maharashtra Water Conservation Department, received a phone call from someone pretending to be from the telecom department. The caller claimed that Joshi’s Aadhaar was being misused to operate a bank account under the name Naresh Goyal, allegedly involved in money laundering. The caller also falsely stated that an FIR had been filed against victim for threatening a shopkeeper in Kurla.
Frightened and unaware, Joshi was told to obtain a clearance certificate from the crime branch. He complied and submitted the document to the scammer. The call was then passed on to another impersonator who claimed that the Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant against victim. They said he was now under surveillance and could not leave his home without permission. Fake court documents were sent to him, making the scenario feel terrifyingly real.
Things escalated when victim received a video call from someone named Rao. On the call, he witnessed what seemed like court proceedings, including a man pretending to be a judge who granted him a seven-day remand. Convinced of the authenticity, victim was told that major financial agencies were investigating him and he needed to prove his innocence by transferring money to specific bank accounts for verification.
Under psychological pressure and fear, victim transferred Rs 4.2 crore to six different accounts shared via WhatsApp. The truth came to light only when he informed his son, who immediately helped him file a police complaint.
The FIR was registered under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act, along with Sections 318(4), 336(3), 337, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Senior Inspector Shriram Paul confirmed that the case is being investigated by the cyber crime unit.
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