R., a sub-inspector posted in CRPF in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, Cyber criminals from Mahendran cheated themselves as a government officer and cheated Rs 22 lakh. Surprisingly, the accused put SI in a ‘digital arrest’ for 17 days and threatened to put the family in danger.
The incident started on the morning of 5 June when Mahendran, a resident of Tamil Nadu, received an unknown call. The caller described himself as an officer of the Telecom Department, Government of India and said that illegal activities are happening with their Aadhar card SIM.
Gave money to thugs by pledging jewelry
After some time, another call came in which the caller made a video call as a Delhi Police officer and showed fake ID and threatened to implicate him in a transaction of Rs 2 crore from a fake bank account.
After this, SI was told that money would have to be sent to RBI account for verification, which will return in 72 hours. The scared SI first sends money from his salary account, then takes a loan by mortgaging the wife’s jewelry and finally breaks his son’s FD and transfers Rs 5 lakh.
Keep in digital arrest for 17 days
From June 9 to June 11, he was called continuously and took money from different excuses. Every hour was asked to send a report on WhatsApp, due to which he came under complete mental pressure. When the calls stopped coming from the thugs and the numbers were closed, then after 17 days, SI understood that he had become a victim of cheating. After this, he filed a case at Gandhinagar police station.
According to the station in -charge, an FIR of cheating of Rs 22 lakh has been registered and the case is being statutory investigation. The police have registered a case under sections 66 (D) and 118 (4) of the IT Act.
—- End —-