Maharashtra Cyber Fraud: 58-Year-Old Retired Professor From Nalasopara Duped Of ₹64 Lakh In Fake CBI Arrest Scam; FIR Registered

Palghar, Maharashtra: A 58-year-old retired professor from Nalasopara East has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing a staggering ₹64 lakh after being intimidated with false claims of a police case and imminent arrest. Achole Police have registered a case, and efforts are underway to trace the culprits.

The victim, Dinanath Kamlaprasad Mishra, a local resident, reported that the fraud occurred between March 7 and March 29, 2025. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the elaborate scam began when an individual identified as Ranju Kumari contacted him via phone.

Ranju Kumari falsely informed Mishra that his Aadhaar card had been used to obtain a SIM card, which was then linked to fraudulent activities, leading to an FIR being registered against him at Tilak Nagar Police Station. She then instructed him to call a specific mobile number for clarification.

Upon calling the number, Mishra was contacted by individuals identifying themselves as Sandeep Rao and Pradeep Sawant. These individuals, who appeared in uniform during a video call, claimed to be CBI officers. They falsely accused Mishra and a 'Naresh Goyal' of money laundering and threatened them with immediate arrest. To further their deception, they sent arrest warrants and notices via WhatsApp.

Panicked by these threats, Mishra was coerced into transferring ₹44 lakh from his bank accounts via RTGS to accounts provided by the fraudsters. Subsequently, the scammers orchestrated a fake online court appearance and demanded an additional ₹20 lakh for a bail bond amounting to ₹50 lakh. In total, Mishra was defrauded of ₹64 lakh.

Mishra approached the police on June 24, 2025, and a case was registered at Achole Police Station. The accused have been booked under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, along with Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, pertaining to financial fraud, conspiracy, identity theft, and cheating by personation using communication devices.

Further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the accused involved in this major cyber fraud.