Kochi: Ernakulam rural cyber police have registered an FIR based on the complaint of a 75-year-old resident of Puthencruz, who lost Rs 11.51 crore in a cyber fraud. According to the complaint, the scammers contacted the victim through a WhatsApp call, posing as a purchase coordinator, chairperson, and managing director of a company named Scotland and Brithox. They claimed that the company required 'Oxide chemical oil' and promised the complainant 50% of the profit if he purchased the oil on their behalf.
Details of the fraud
The complainant transferred money from six bank accounts belonging to himself and his son. The alleged fraud occurred between October 2023 and December 2025. Police have registered the FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.
Separate case: Man arrested for photo manipulation
In an unrelated incident, a 27-year-old man was arrested for editing and circulating a woman's photo. The accused, identified as Basil Saju, a resident of Kunnakkal, Vazhakulam, allegedly manipulated a woman's photo and converted it into an explicit video, which he then spread on social media. The arrest was made by a team led by Muvattupuzha police inspector Anil George, including sub-inspectors M V Dilip Kumar, N S Roy, and S Sreenath. The accused was presented in court and remanded in judicial custody.
