A retired official residing in the Kankarbagh area of Patna was allegedly duped of ₹66.80 lakh after cybercriminals subjected him to a digital arrest scam by posing as officers from the Delhi Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The fraudsters threatened him with immediate arrest, warned that his entire family would be implicated in a major financial crime, and coerced him into transferring funds into multiple bank accounts. The elaborate deception was unmasked only after the victim arrived in Australia to visit his elder son, leading to a formal complaint with the Patna Cyber Police Station.
Impersonation and Threats of Foreign Money Laundering Probe
The ordeal began when the retired official received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as Rajesh Pradhan, claiming to be attached to the Delhi Police, before transferring the call to an accomplice named Sunil Kumar, who was introduced as a senior officer. Kumar accused the victim of being tied to a serious criminal matter involving the laundering of ₹6.80 crore through a bank account located in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. The callers claimed the Central Bureau of Investigation was probing the case and asserted that a foreign money laundering complaint had been registered at the Barakhamba police station. To maintain psychological pressure, the fraudsters ordered the victim to remain confined inside his house, forbade him from contacting anyone, and warned that failure to comply would result in the arrest of his entire family.
Coerced Bond Letter and Multi-Lakh Fund Transfers
Under mounting pressure and continuous intimidation, the victim was instructed to draft a bond letter under the threat of impending action by central investigative agencies. The fraudsters then invoked a fictitious Reserve Bank of India verification process, claiming his savings had to be moved to designated accounts to ensure their security while the inquiry remained pending. Convinced that he was assisting an authentic law enforcement exercise and fearing imminent prosecution, the victim transferred ₹66.80 lakh through the Real-Time Gross Settlement system across several accounts provided by the callers.
Son Helps Uncover Deception During Australia Visit
The fraud remained undetected until the retired official travelled to Australia to visit his elder son and recounted the phone calls, the purported money laundering allegations, and the large bank transactions. During the discussion, his son helped him realise that the entire sequence was a cyber fraud orchestrated by impostors. With his son’s assistance, the victim initiated legal steps from Australia and subsequently lodged a detailed written complaint with the Patna Cyber Police Station. Investigators have launched an inquiry into the case, examining the recipient bank accounts, transaction trails, and call records to track down the individuals involved.
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