Cyber Crime
Doctor Duped of Rs 3.7 Crore by Cyber Fraudsters Posing as CBI Officers
A senior consultant from Haveri district’s Sanjeevini Nursing Home was duped of Rs 3.7 crore by fraudsters posing as CBI officers, leading to a detailed investigation by the Police.
Haveri: In a shocking case of cyber fraud reported in Ranebennur of Haveri district, a senior consultant at Sanjeevini Nursing Home, Dr. Bhimasen Karjagi, was allegedly cheated out of Rs 3.7 crore by fraudsters impersonating Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers.
Dr. Karjagi, who transferred funds to 10 separate accounts across multiple banks, was convinced by the criminals that they were part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering in which his name was implicated. Believing that this would clear his name from the accusations, he complied with their demands over a span of two months.
The fraudsters, introducing themselves as high-ranking CBI officers, manipulated Dr. Karjagi into believing that his bank account was under scrutiny and that he was implicated in a money laundering investigation. According to SR Ganachari, the circle police inspector of the Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics (CEN) police station, Dr. Karjagi was pressured and threatened with criminal action by the fraudsters, prompting him to transfer the amount.
On April 11, 2024, Dr. Karjagi received a call from an unknown number. The caller, introducing himself as Dikshit Gadad, an inspector from the CBI in Mumbai, falsely informed Dr. Karjagi that a case had been filed against Naresh Goyel for bank fraud and money laundering. The fraudster alleged that Goyel had transferred money to Dr. Karjagi’s Canara Bank account and then withdrawn it, demanding verification of all bank transactions.
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Following this, Dr. Karjagi transferred the money to ten different accounts last month through Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) until May 17. Speaking to The Daily, Ganachari mentioned that a total of Rs 3.7 crore had been transferred to the fraudsters’ accounts. The investigation is ongoing, and technical experts’ support is required to handle the case.
Despite warnings from the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime Police (CEN) regarding online fraud, individuals continue to fall victim to deceptive schemes. Ganachari further added, “People should inform the police if they receive any suspicious phone calls; it will help avoid financial losses.”
The ongoing investigation aims to trace the fraudulent transactions and catch the culprits. The police urge the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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