Colonel duped by man posing as associate

Thinking that his friend was in trouble, the Colonel paid Rs 6,000 through a series of Paytm transactions.

A Colonel in the Indian Army was duped through a phishing call, where the caller posed as the Armyman’s associate, and asked for money claiming that he was stranded in Vrindavan.

Thinking that his friend was in trouble, the Colonel paid Rs 6,000 through a series of Paytm transactions. However, when the accused kept demanding for more money, the Colonel called up the friend only to find out that he never visited Vrindavan in the first place.

A case has been registered at South Avenue police station under sections 66 C and 66 D of the IT Act (2000), and IPC sections 419 and 420, said police. “We tried to trace the phone numbers and the Paytm accounts used by the accused to ascertain his location. The phone numbers were operated through a fake SIM and the Paytm account details were also found to be fraudulent,” said a police officer.

The Colonel initially approached the Delhi Police Special Cell following which the complaint was marked to the local police station to launch investigations. According to police, the Colonel said that in the month of April, he received a phone call from an unknown number. “The caller posed as his friend and claimed that his wallet was stolen while on a visit to Vrindavan.”

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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