Sitapur. A couple who allegedly posed as a bank manager and an income tax officer and used fluent English to win people’s confidence has been arrested by the police. According to police, the husband, who had studied up to Class 6, and his wife, who had studied up to Class 5, allegedly used their fake identities and persuasive communication skills to cheat people of more than ₹50 crore across the country. In Sitapur, the couple allegedly cheated three people of ₹27 lakh by promising to arrange auctioned gold coins at cheap prices and exchange old, torn currency notes.
According to police, the accused man was living as a tenant at the house of Ramnaresh Jaiswal and introduced himself as the manager of the Mishrikh branch of Punjab National Bank. His wife, Annu Bajpai alias Chandra, allegedly posed as an income tax officer. The couple allegedly used fake banking and government identities to gain people’s trust and then collected money through different fraudulent schemes.
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Police said Ramnaresh Jaiswal, a resident of Prem Nagar, lodged a complaint at the City Kotwali on September 14, alleging that he had been cheated of ₹22 lakh. Separate complaints were also registered after laundry operator Atul allegedly lost ₹4 lakh and Premlata Bajpai allegedly lost ₹1 lakh. During the investigation, police found indications that the accused had allegedly been active in several other states as well.
During the operation, police recovered ₹14 lakh in cash from the couple. Jewellery worth around ₹6 lakh was also recovered, along with fake identity cards showing the accused as a bank manager and an income tax officer. Police are examining the recovered documents and bank accounts to trace transactions allegedly linked to the fraud.
According to police, 10 cases have been registered against the couple in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Within Uttar Pradesh, cases have also been registered against them in Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Jhansi and Kushinagar, apart from Sitapur. Police said law enforcement agencies in six states had been conducting raids to trace the couple.
Baghpat. In another case, Baghpat Cyber Crime Police have busted an interstate high-tech gang that allegedly defrauded insurance policyholders of more than ₹1.25 crore. Eight alleged members of the gang have been arrested. According to police, the gang’s network extended across 14 states and targeted insurance policyholders in different parts of the country.
The alleged fraud began with phone calls to insurance customers. The accused reportedly posed as representatives of well-known insurance companies and told policyholders that they needed to renew their policies or could receive substantial bonuses and other benefits. During the conversations, victims were allegedly persuaded to make payments under different pretexts, including renewal charges and other fees. Police said the gang used this method to target a large number of policyholders across several states.
Following the arrests, police recovered luxury vehicles allegedly purchased with proceeds of the fraud, a large quantity of gold and silver jewellery, cash, mobile phones and several fake documents. Investigators are examining the seized items to determine the alleged earnings of the gang and how the money was used.
In both cases, police are questioning the accused to establish the wider networks, bank accounts, fake identity documents and other associates allegedly involved in the operations. In the Sitapur case, investigators are also examining previous cases registered in different states, while Baghpat police are probing the role of other people allegedly connected with the gang’s network spread across 14 states.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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