Dehradun | A retired senior officer of India’s Ministry of Defence has allegedly fallen victim to a cyber fraud in Dehradun, losing ₹6 lakh after cybercriminals reportedly hacked his mobile phone through a malicious WhatsApp link and gained access to his banking credentials.
According to the complaint filed with police, the victim, Veer Bhadra, a resident of Rajpur Road and a retired Deputy Director General from the Ministry of Defence, received a WhatsApp message from an unknown individual on May 27. The message contained a link that appeared legitimate and prompted him to click on it.
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Investigators said that soon after opening the link, the victim’s mobile phone was allegedly compromised. Cybercriminals subsequently gained access to his net banking account and transferred ₹6 lakh to multiple bank accounts without his authorization.
The complainant reported that he became aware of the fraudulent transactions after noticing the unauthorized movement of funds from his account. Acting quickly, he contacted the State Bank of India’s online helpline and requested the immediate blocking of his net banking and UPI services to prevent further losses.
Following the complaint, police registered a case against unknown persons and initiated an investigation into the incident. Authorities are examining digital evidence, transaction records and the destination accounts used in the alleged fraud.
Cybersecurity experts note that malicious links sent through messaging platforms remain one of the most common methods used by cybercriminals to compromise devices and steal financial information. Once a user clicks on such a link, malware or remote-access tools may be installed, enabling fraudsters to obtain sensitive credentials and control banking applications.
Commenting on the incident, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that cybercriminals increasingly rely on social engineering techniques to persuade victims to click on fraudulent links. He emphasized that users should avoid opening links received from unknown sources and should verify the authenticity of any message before taking action.
Police have advised citizens to remain cautious while using messaging applications, avoid clicking on suspicious links, regularly update security settings on their devices, and immediately report any suspected cyber fraud to banks and cybercrime authorities.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials are working to identify the individuals involved and trace the flow of the stolen funds.
