Ahmedabad. A new case linked to an alleged Forex and Crypto investment scam operating through Telegram has surfaced in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, where a doctor associated with U N Mehta Hospital was allegedly duped of ₹70,000 after being promised huge returns through online trading. Investigators say cyber fraudsters first gained the victim’s trust by posing as professional traders before sending fake profit reports and fabricated invoices to pressure him into investing more money.
Telegram Group Used to Build Credibility
According to the complaint, the victim, Dr. Anil Mahesh Kumar Panwar, currently resides at the postgraduate hostel of U N Mehta Hospital in Asarwa and has been serving as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiac Anaesthesia department since June 2025. Police said he had been following a Telegram group named “Trade Like Berlin” for several months, where discussions related to stock market investments, Forex trading and online financial opportunities were regularly shared.
During the investigation, police found that on April 27, while present inside the hospital premises, the complainant received a message on Telegram from a person identifying himself as “Berlin”. The accused allegedly claimed to be an experienced Forex trader and assured the doctor that investments in foreign currency trading could double within a short period of time. Investigators said the fraudster used claims of high returns, successful trading records and large profits to convince the victim to invest money.
Initially, the complainant transferred ₹50,000 through a UPI transaction to an account linked with the ID “rajbairwa211@axl”. Shortly afterward, the accused allegedly persuaded him to invest more money by promising even greater returns. The doctor then transferred another ₹20,000 to a second UPI ID, “6387238136@okbizaxis”. In total, ₹70,000 was transferred through online payment platforms.
Fake Profit Screenshots Followed by GST Demand
According to the complaint, the accused remained in constant contact through Telegram after receiving the money. Within hours, the complainant allegedly received screenshots of trading dashboards, digital invoices and investment summaries claiming that his investment had already grown to more than ₹3 lakh. Seeing the apparent profits, the victim initially believed the trading activity was genuine.
However, the matter reportedly became suspicious when the fraudsters demanded more than ₹50,000 as GST and processing charges before releasing the so-called profit amount. The accused allegedly claimed that the payment was mandatory for withdrawing the returns and insisted that the entire profit would be credited immediately after the tax was cleared. Repeated demands for additional charges eventually raised doubts in the victim’s mind.
The complainant later discussed the issue with friends and acquaintances, who informed him that the entire operation appeared to be a planned cyber fraud. Realising he may have been trapped in an online investment scam, the doctor immediately contacted the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 and also submitted a complaint through the official cybercrime reporting portal before approaching the police.
UPI Trail and Telegram Accounts Under Probe
Cyber crime experts say Telegram-based investment frauds linked to Forex trading, cryptocurrency schemes and stock market advisory groups have witnessed a sharp rise in recent months. Fraudsters often operate professional-looking groups filled with fake testimonials, fabricated profit screenshots and manipulated trading data to create credibility and lure victims into transferring money.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said such scams are largely driven through social engineering tactics, where criminals exploit greed, urgency and trust built through social media interactions. He warned that encrypted platforms like Telegram are increasingly being used by cyber fraudsters because they allow anonymous communication and make tracing operations more difficult.
Police have registered a case against unidentified accused persons under sections related to cyber fraud and provisions of the Information Technology Act. Investigators are now examining Telegram accounts, UPI transactions, bank account details and digital payment trails to identify those involved. Officials suspect similar Telegram-based Forex and Crypto fraud networks may be targeting professionals, students and first-time investors across multiple Indian cities.
