Chandrapur: A 67-year-old retired senior mechanic of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) was duped of Rs 63 lakh by cyber fraudsters who kept him under ‘digital arrest’ for months by posing as Mumbai police personnel.As per Chandrapur Cyber Police in charge police inspector Sunil Gade, the victim, a resident of Durgapur, received a call from an unknown number on Nov 26, 2025. The caller claimed that a SIM issued in his name was linked to a criminal case. He was subsequently connected to a man dressed in a police uniform through a WhatsApp video call.The fraudsters then alleged that a bank account opened in Mumbai in the retired employee’s name was being used to receive international funds. They claimed that a person identified as Mohammad Salim, allegedly arrested in connection with anti-national activities, had admitted to transferring a 10% commission into the victim’s account.The scammers intensified the pressure by threatening to arrest the victim and his family members if he disclosed the matter to anyone. To make their claims appear genuine, they sent him forged documents on WhatsApp, including a purported Mumbai Crime Branch complaint, a fake bank account statement, a counterfeit Supreme Court notice and, subsequently, a fabricated ED notice.Fearing arrest and legal action, the retired employee liquidated his lifelong savings and fixed deposits in a bank’s Padmapur branch. Between December 1 and 3, 2025, he transferred Rs 63 lakh through IMPS to several bank accounts specified by the fraudsters.After receiving the money, the accused sent him another forged communication claiming that the ED summons had been cancelled. The victim and his wife did not disclose the incident to anyone for several months.The fraud came to light on Sept 7, 2026, when the couple was visiting their son in Pune. The fraudsters contacted the victim again and demanded more money, this time claiming that another fraudulent bank account had been opened in Jammu. His son and daughter-in-law noticed the suspicious calls, took control of the phone and realised that he had been subjected to a cyber fraud.The family immediately reported the matter through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, following which an FIR was registered at Chandrapur Cyber Police Station.PI Sunil Gade said an investigation was underway to identify the bank accounts, digital trails and other links of the suspected inter-state cyber fraud syndicate.
