Two men have been arrested in Jaipur for allegedly swindling a man of ₹90 lakh by posing as acquaintances and warning him of an imminent Income Tax department raid. The police have successfully recovered ₹77.50 lakh of the stolen amount. The victim had recently acquired the large sum after selling a plot of land, a fact that the accused used to orchestrate a elaborate scheme involving psychological pressure and deception.
Fraudsters exploit fear of tax authorities
The incident unfolded shortly after March 17, when the victim received the proceeds from his property sale. The following morning, one of the accused approached him, claiming to have insider information that the Income Tax department had placed him under surveillance. Under the guise of protecting the victim’s assets from seizure, the suspect convinced him to move the cash to a supposedly safe location. The victim was taken to a house described as belonging to the suspect’s brother, where he was instructed to hide the bag of cash inside an old refrigerator. Once the money was secured, the accused left the premises on the pretext of having a meal but never returned.
Police track suspects through surveillance and financial trails
Upon realizing he had been defrauded, the victim filed a complaint at the Murlipura police station. A subsequent investigation revealed that the plot was a joint effort between Babulal Verma and Rohit Verma. Rohit had provided the critical information regarding the victim’s financial windfall to Babulal, who then executed the plan. Following the theft, Babulal traveled to Mumbai, Bhopal, and Udaipur in an attempt to evade capture. However, Jaipur police identified the suspects after reviewing over 100 CCTV camera feeds. Babulal was eventually apprehended, and authorities discovered he had already used approximately ₹25 lakh of the stolen funds to settle a bank loan.
Growing concerns over offline social engineering
Cybercrime experts have noted that this case highlights a shift in criminal tactics where fraudsters use “social engineering” rather than just digital tools. Former IPS officer and cyber expert Prof. Triveni Singh observed that criminals are increasingly using the fear of government agencies to weaken victims mentally. While most of the money has been recovered, including ₹52 lakh from Babulal and ₹50,000 from Rohit, the police are continuing efforts to trace the remaining balance. Authorities have issued a public warning advising citizens to remain vigilant and to report any individuals posing as officials who demand the transfer or hiding of cash.
