Cyber Crime
How a Retired Lady Teacher From Varanasi Lost Rs. 3.5 Crores in a Cyber Scam
Varanasi: Police have apprehended eight additional suspects in a cyber fraud case, where a retired teacher was deceived out of Rs. 3.55 crore. This recent action brings the total arrests to 14 in connection with the crime. Among the items seized were Rs. 3.70 lakh in cash, five mobile phones, an ATM card, and a cheque.
The fraud began with a phone call to Shampa Rakshit, the victim, who was misled by an individual claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This caller warned her of an imminent shutdown of her mobile service. Subsequently, another fraudster, posing as a police officer from Mumbai, accused her of illegal activities and coerced her into transferring money to a supposed RBI account for investigation purposes.
Extensive Network Behind the Fraud
Police investigations revealed a complex network of individuals across different states, including Delhi, Gurugram, and Rajasthan, involved in this extensive scam. The eight recently arrested individuals are suspected of playing various roles in orchestrating the fraud. Varanasi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chandrakant Meena, highlighted the planning behind the scam and assured that the police are committed to unraveling the entire network.
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Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime), Gaurav Kumar, mentioned that the first six arrests occurred on March 20, involving bank officials and residents from Lucknow and Surat. The continued efforts of the cybercrime team led to the capture of eight more individuals, including the alleged leader of the gang. The police are conducting further investigations to determine the full extent of the crime and ensure justice for the victim.