Retired officer duped of Rs 30.40 lakh in cyber scam

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Cybercriminals scammed a retired senior government officer out of Rs30.40 lakh by falsely accusing him of links to drug smuggling and terrorism. Manipulated through fear, the victim transferred the money, believing he was clearing his name. Cidco Police registered a case on Tuesday.

The victim, Vishwanath Rajale (61), a retired Additional Director of Industries, fell prey to a months-long fraud operation. It started with a call from a fake courier company representative and escalated when cybercriminals sent forged documents bearing a CBI logo via WhatsApp. A scammer posing as Naresh Gupta Banerjee, a police officer, sent him an ID card, while another, Balsingh Rajput, impersonating a DCP, showed a fabricated photo of an arrested leader, deepening the intimidation.

Virtual police station setup fooled victim

The criminals used eight different phone numbers and conducted video calls from a setup resembling a police station, complete with official-looking logos and insignias. Under the guise of verifying his bank accounts, they directed Rajale to transfer Rs 30.40 lakh to an SBI account registered to Eaveland Comestible Pvt. Ltd. in Nanpura, Surat, Gujarat, assuring him it would be refunded in 30 minutes. The money never came back.

Held in ‘digital custody’ for six days

To prevent Rajale from contacting his family, the fraudsters forced him to stay in a hotel for six days, warning him not to return home. Only on the sixth day did he realize the scam.

Educated lawyer’s daughter also trapped

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting retired officials, senior citizens, and young women. In another case, a lawyer’s highly educated daughter was digitally arrested for 18 hours. Many victims hesitate to file complaints due to fear of social stigma, police officials revealed.