A Lucknow man’s casual WhatsApp chats with a “woman” named Bhavika Shetty turned into a devastating ₹1.92 crore cyber fraud nightmare, with police arresting 34-year-old Imran Ghazi from Mishripur Depot who posed as the woman to lure Shalabh Pandey into fake investment schemes promising massive returns. Shalabh filed a complaint on June 2, 2025, after realizing the scam, leading to an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cheating provisions and IT Act Section 66(D) for computer personation at Lucknow’s Cyber Crime police station. Investigators revealed Ghazi routed ₹54 lakh through his frozen Axis Bank account showing ₹1.52 crore transactions in just one month, using forged Aadhaar and PAN cards created with associate Shehzad’s help to open multiple mule accounts.
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Fake ‘Bhavika Shetty’ Builds Trust Through Months
Shalabh Pandey got friendly with “Bhavika” through casual messages and calls that gradually shifted to investment talk. The fake woman promised high returns on stock schemes and crypto deals, convincing Shalabh to transfer ₹1.92 crore across various bank accounts over time. When the promised profits never came and communication suddenly stopped, Shalabh contacted the real investment contacts and discovered the entire friendship was a scam. Police tracked the money trail through bank transactions and call records, leading straight to Imran Ghazi hiding in Gudamba’s Mishripur Depot area.
Arrest Reveals Forged Document Mule Network
During interrogation, Ghazi confessed that after his original Axis Bank account got frozen in earlier probes, he worked with Shehzad to create fake Aadhaar and PAN cards. These forged identities helped open new bank accounts specifically to receive cyber fraud money from across India. Police recovered the fake identity documents from Ghazi’s possession, confirming ₹54 lakh of Shalabh’s money flowed through his accounts. The sheer volume—₹1.52 crore transactions in 30 days—showed organized operations beyond a lone operator.
Banking Trail Shows Large-Scale Operation
Cyber crime police discovered the accounts handled massive daily transfers, typical of professional cyber gangs layering money through multiple hops. Ghazi earned commissions for providing mule accounts, a common tactic in India’s ₹20,000 crore annual cyber fraud ecosystem. The rapid account creation after freezes indicated experienced handlers directing operations. Police now hunt Shehzad and expect more arrests as transaction logs reveal additional beneficiaries.
Victim’s Nightmare: From Friendship to Financial Ruin
Shalabh Pandey’s ₹1.92 crore loss wiped out life savings meant for family needs and investments. The emotional betrayal added to financial devastation, as months of “friendship” chats made the scam feel personal. Lucknow joins national romance scam surge—Delhi bankers losing crores, Hyderabad IT professionals cleaned out—where fake relationships precede money demands. Victims face double shame: financial loss plus embarrassment over being emotionally manipulated.
Police Probe Expands to Wider Syndicate
Tuesday’s arrest marks just the beginning—investigators analyze Ghazi’s phones for WhatsApp groups coordinating scams, bank APIs showing mule patterns, and UPI trails linking to other cities. Shehzad’s role in forging documents points to specialized networks printing fake IDs in bulk. Lucknow Cyber Crime unit coordinates with FIU-IND to freeze remaining accounts and trace cryptocurrency conversions. Partial recovery remains possible if action stays swift.
National Romance Scam Wave Grows Deadlier
India reports 50,000+ romance scams annually, with 2025 losses hitting ₹5,000 crore per NCRB data. Conmen steal women’s photos from Instagram, use voice modulators for calls, deploy deepfake video filters. Initial small “profits” build trust before escalating demands. UP police launch awareness drives teaching digital hygiene—verify identities through video calls to known numbers, never transfer money to online “friends.” Helpline 1930 handles 2 lakh calls monthly with 30% recovery rates for quick reporters.
Romance Scam Warning Signs:
- Quick profession of love or friendship
- Pressure to invest in “exclusive” schemes
- Sudden urgency for money transfers
- Avoidance of video calls or personal meetings
Prevention Steps:
- Reverse image search profile photos
- Verify through common acquaintances
- Never share OTPs or bank details
- Report suspicious chats to 1930 immediately
Lucknow police vow to dismantle Ghazi’s network—fake friendships now lead straight to handcuffs.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
