In a shocking cyber fraud case, a 31-year-old Central Railway employee, Mantu Kumar Shribhagwansav Gupta, was allegedly cheated of Rs4.15 lakh by cybercriminals who tricked him into believing that his friend had been detained by the Customs Department at Delhi Airport.
How the Fraud Occurred
According to the FIR, Gupta, a resident of the Central Railway Colony on Dr. B.A. Road, Byculla (East), received a call from an unknown number at around 9:08 a.m. on September 12. The caller asked him to speak with someone named George, claiming to be a mutual friend. Mimicking George’s voice, the fraudster said he was held by Customs officials and urgently needed Rs2 lakh for release.
Multiple Extortion Attempts
Believing the call, Gupta transferred Rs2.15 lakh in four separate transactions via WhatsApp. Shortly after, he received another call claiming the matter involved money laundering, demanding an additional Rs2 lakh, followed by Rs50,000 for a “money exchange process.”
Complaint Filed and Investigation Underway
Suspecting a scam, Gupta filed a complaint through the national Cybercrime Helpline (1930) and approached Byculla Police Station. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. Police investigations are ongoing to trace the unidentified culprits.
