Bengaluru: Retired army colonel duped of Rs 56 lakh by fraudsters posing as Mumbai police
Bengaluru (PTI): An 83-year-old retired Army colonel here became the latest victim of online fraud, losing Rs 56.05 lakh after scammers impersonating Mumbai police officers threatened him with arrest.
An FIR was registered at the Central CEN crime police station on November 18, officials said on Friday.
According to the FIR, the victim received a call on October 27 from a man identifying himself as Mumbai police Inspector Sanjay Pishe, who claimed that a SIM card issued in the complainant’s name had been used to abuse the public.
When the elderly man said he was unable to travel to Mumbai for an inquiry, he was connected via video call to a woman identifying herself as senior officer Kavita Pomane, and later to another person named Vishwas, who claimed to be a higher official.
The callers told him the inquiry would be conducted online and allegedly extracted his personal, family and bank details while threatening him with arrest if he disclosed it to anyone, it said.
They also demanded his live location every three hours and instructed him to share his bank details on WhatsApp for “RBI verification”, the FIR stated.
Believing them, the complainant shared details of four bank accounts and, on their instructions, transferred Rs 6 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from his bank account to another account as specified by the fraudsters.
Later, he was directed to liquidate his mutual funds and other investments. He then transferred another Rs 35.05 lakh from his bank accounts and Rs 10 lakh more to the same bank account specified by the fraudsters.
When he sought a refund, the impostors claimed that RBI was verifying the funds and would return the money within three days.
Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and section 318(4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
