Cyber crime: CBI launches probe into Rs 1.86 crore cheating with Kerala woman

New Delhi, Nov 25 The CBI has launched an investigation into the complaint of a Kerala woman who was duped by cyber criminals of Rs 1.86 crore last year by posing as officials of a “secret agency”, an official said on Tuesday.

CBI’s Superintendent of Police Astha Modi approved the registration of the FIR in the case.

Earlier, the High Court of Kerala, through its judgment dated May 30, transferred the investigation of the case from Kanjirapally Police Station, Kottayam, to the CBI.

The complainant, Beena Dominic, 68, told investigators that she received a call on her mobile number on September 17 from an unknown person introducing himself as a member of they were affiliated with a “secret agency established by the Supreme Court of India to investigate money laundering and the involvement of corrupt Bank Officers and Police Officers”.

The caller intimidated her by stating that she was under investigation by CBI for money laundering from her Bombay Canara Bank Account and that an arrest warrant had been issued against her, which could be averted if she cooperated with them by transferring the funds as required by them, said the complaint, adding that Kerala Police registered an FIR on September 24, 2024.

In her complaint, she had named Saleesh Kumar, 47, a resident of Thrissur district, and holders of three bank accounts as suspects.

The CBI FIR, registered on Monday, said, “The caller threatened that the complainant would be arrested, her children would lose their jobs, and her bank accounts would be frozen. Acting under fear and coercion caused by these threats, the complainant was deceived into transferring large sums of money from her bank accounts.”

The FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 316(2), 318(4) and Information Technology 2000 66(B), dealing with criminal breach of trust and cheating, among other offences.

The complainant said that under threat, she made bank transfers to a total amount to the tune of Indian currency Rs 1.86 crore through various transactions between September 17, 2024 and September 26, 2024, the complaint said.

The victim deposited the money in the cyber cons’ accounts in Yest Bank, ICICI Bank, and an account in the IDFC Bank in the name of Trinity Software Solutions, said the complaint.

The CBI FIR, approved by SP Astha Modi, said, “In pursuance of the order of the High Court of Kerala, the FIR in Crime No. 1091/2024, Kanjirapally Police Station, Kottayam is being re-registered in EO-III, CBI, New Delhi, for further investigation…”

--IANS

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