Mumbai: Cyber Fraudster Dupes Elderly Man of ₹33 Lakh by Impersonating ATS Chief in Kalachowki

A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light from Kalachowki, where an elderly man was allegedly duped of approximately ₹33.5 lakh by a fraudster posing as the Chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The accused allegedly invoked a Pakistani bank account to intimidate the victim. The Central Region Cyber Cell has registered a case against an unidentified cyber fraudster under sections of cheating and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.

According to police sources, the complainant, a retired mill worker residing in Kalachowki, received a phone call in December last year from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be speaking from Shivaji Nagar Police Station in Pune and alleged that two individuals had fraudulently created Aadhaar cards using the complainant’s identity. The caller further claimed that a total of ₹7 crore had been deposited into a bank account linked to the fraudulent Aadhaar cards and that the complainant had received a commission from the amount. The fraudster then asked the victim to visit the police station before disconnecting the call.

Shortly thereafter, the complainant received a video call from another number displaying the name “ATS Chief.” The caller introduced himself as a senior ATS official and alleged that 70 million US dollars had been deposited into the said bank account from Pakistan. Using this claim, the fraudster falsely informed the victim that he had been barred from leaving the country. The accused also claimed that ₹70 lakh had been credited to his account.

Threatening legal action, the fraudster extracted the victim’s bank account details. Soon after, another individual contacted the complainant, shared so-called confidential documents, and instructed him to read them carefully. The victim was warned that failure to comply with the instructions would lead to immediate arrest.

Under the pretext of official action and to “clear” his name, the fraudster instructed the complainant to transfer money into a specified bank account. Out of fear, the elderly man transferred ₹33.5 lakh. After making the payment, when he attempted to contact the accused, he realised he had been cheated.

The victim subsequently approached the Central Region Cyber Police Station, which has registered an offence and initiated further investigation into the matter.