Palghar, Maharashtra: A 63-year-old retired professor from Vasai has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud, losing a staggering ₹1.35 crore after being intimidated with false claims of a police case and arrest warrant. The Vasai Police have registered a case, but no arrests have been made so far.
The victim, Santosh Achyut Shende, a local resident of Vasai West, filed a complaint stating that the fraud occurred between May 19 and June 23, 2025. According to the First Information Report (FIR), individuals identifying themselves as Sandeep Rao, Niraj Kumar, and Vijay Khanna contacted him via WhatsApp video calls.
Fraudsters Impersonated TRAI Officials and Cops Over WhatsApp Video Calls
The fraudsters falsely informed Shende that a bank account had been opened in his name at Canara Bank using his Aadhaar card, and that a police case linked to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was ongoing against him. They further claimed an arrest warrant had been issued in his name and threatened that police would arrest him at home if he did not report to Colaba Police Station.
Victim Transferred Funds to Seven Bank Accounts Out of Fear of Arrest
Panicked by these threats, Shende proceeded to transfer a total of ₹1,35,69,724 from his four bank accounts to seven different bank accounts provided by the accused. He subsequently realized he had been defrauded and immediately approached the police.
FIR Registered Under BNS and IT Act; Hunt for Accused Continues
A case has been registered at Vasai Police Station (Crime No. 188/2025) under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, specifically 319(2), 318(4), 3(5), and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, including 66(C) and 198(D). Efforts are underway to trace the accused individuals.
