How Pune scientist lost Rs 78 lakh to fraudster posing as Instagram-famous IPS officer Navjot Simi

Two days later, he allegedly received a WhatsApp video call. On the screen was a woman in a police uniform, seated in what appeared to be an official cabin. She allegedly identified herself as Navjot Simi, misusing the name of a well-known Bihar-cadre IPS officer with a massive Instagram following.

This woman allegedly told the victim that he had been placed under ‘digital arrest’ and that he would soon be placed under arrest from his home and sent to prison. The woman also allegedly told the complainant that he would have to pay Rs 75 lakh to clear his name from the case. The victim pleaded that he did not have that much money, but he was told to arrange it within seven days, as per the complaint.

He was also allegedly asked to pick up the call and verify his location whenever called during the day. After a few days, the fraudster allegedly gave the victim a mule account number, which the fraudster claimed was a government bank account. The victim said he went to the bank and deposited Rs 7 lakh in that account. The caller allegedly told him that it was not enough and threatened him with jail time if more money was not paid.

As per the complaint, in the next few days, the complainant took an instant loan from the bank and a gold mortgage loan. He said he borrowed money from his friends and relatives without telling anyone the exact reason. He allegedly paid Rs 78 lakh across half a dozen transactions.

After paying the money, the complainant started calling the number from which the fraudster posing as Simi was calling. But there was no reply, as per the complaint. After realising that he had been cheated, he approached the cybercrime police station and filed an FIR.

Familiar playbook

The police said the majority of digital arrest frauds misuse the names of well-known IPS officers with strong social media presence and wide media coverage, as their public visibility lends instant credibility to the scam and lowers suspicion among victims.

Officers said that despite awareness drives, cases of digital arrest, online extortion and blackmail persist, with cybercriminals impersonating police, CBI, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and even judges. Flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, these scams are run by cross-border syndicates, with victims’ money routed through mule accounts into international networks via cryptocurrency.