‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief

The complainant, in the FIR, stated he was residing with his wife and a fraudster, posing as police inspector Rajesh Kumar Singh from Mumbai, called him on WhatsApp around 4 pm on September 23.

The fraudster said that the ATS Lucknow had arrested a terrorist who used bank accounts in the complainant’s name for terror activities. The fraudster also claimed that the complainant had been given “commission” for using his bank accounts for supplying money to terrorists. Then, a fraudster claiming to be an officer from ATS Lucknow spoke to the complainant over a WhatsApp call for an “investigation”.

Later, the complainant received a video call on WhatsApp from a fraudster wearing a police uniform, who claimed that this case was linked to the Pahalgam terrorists. The fraudster said they will record the complainant’s statement and that the NIA chief will conduct his inquiry.

Then, a fraudster posing as the NIA chief spoke to the complainant over video call. The fraudster assured the complainant’s name will be removed from their list of suspects by giving him a “Non Involvement Certificate (NIC)”, after checking his financial transactions and conducting a forensic audit of his bank accounts. The fraudster also asked the complaint to keep the video call on throughout the day. They also asked him to “report” on the video every two hours.

The fraudsters went on to ask the complainant to transfer money from his bank accounts to other bank accounts, the details of which would be shared with him. Accordingly, between September 26 and October 7, the complainant transferred Rs 1.44 crore into various bank accounts as per the instructions of the fraudsters.

Then, on October 8, the fraudsters asked him to deposit Rs 3 lakh in cash in a bank account. This time, the complainant found it suspicious and realised he had been cheated by online scammers.

He then submitted a complaint application to the police. After verification, the police filed an FIR against the online fraudsters under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 204,3(5),318(4),319(2) and sections of the Information Technology Act. Police have launched a probe into the bank accounts and phone numbers used by the fraudsters for committing the crime.

Cyber investigators have expressed concern that despite extensive awareness campaigns and sensitisation efforts by the government and law enforcement agencies, incidents of digital arrest, online extortion and blackmail continue to be reported.

In an advisory issued in May last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs had noted a significant rise in complaints related to intimidation, blackmail, extortion, and so-called “digital arrests.”

These scams are typically carried out by cyber criminals impersonating officials from law enforcement agencies such as the police, CBI, Narcotics Department, RBI, and Enforcement Directorate and judges.

Such frauds have been serious enough to be flagged at the highest levels, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address last year.

As previously reported by the Indian Express, these scams are orchestrated by complex, multilayered syndicates operating across borders. Victims’ money is often funneled into mule accounts and then routed to international cybercrime networks through cryptocurrency.