A senior Maharashtra government officer in Pune fell victim to a sophisticated 'digital arrest' scam, losing a staggering Rs 2.03 crore to cybercriminals who impersonated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials and used a fabricated Supreme Court warrant. The elaborate fraud, which unfolded over five months, highlights the alarming persistence of such online extortion schemes despite widespread awareness campaigns.
The Elaborate Con: From WhatsApp Call to Fake Warrant
The ordeal began when the 57-year-old officer received a WhatsApp call from an individual claiming to be 'Sub Inspector Sharma from CBI'. The fraudster informed the victim that the CBI was investigating a massive Rs 70 crore money laundering case and that the victim's name had surfaced in the probe. The scammer alleged that a bank account opened using the victim's Aadhaar details had received Rs 60 lakh from the illicit funds.
When the officer denied any involvement, the fraudster escalated the threat. He claimed a 'Supreme Court warrant' had been issued against the victim and even sent a forged document on a fake Supreme Court letterhead bearing the victim's name. This tactic was designed to instill fear and create a false sense of legal urgency.
Financial Coercion and The 'Senior Officer'
The case was then supposedly transferred to a 'senior CBI officer, Commissioner Akash Fulari'. This individual, communicating from a WhatsApp number with a CBI logo as the display picture, warned the complainant of potential prison time if he did not cooperate fully with the investigation.
"The fraudster collected the victim's complete financial details, including bank balances, savings, and investments," explained a Pune police officer. "He then instructed the victim to transfer these funds to specified 'government accounts' for verification, promising a full refund once the probe was concluded."
Over the next five months, the fraudsters systematically coerced the victim into making nine large transactions, funneling money into various mule accounts until his life savings and investments were completely exhausted.
The Aftermath and a Rising National Threat
After waiting weeks for the promised refund to no avail, the victim realized he could no longer contact the numbers used by the fraudsters. Upon discussing the situation with a friend, he was told he had been cheated, prompting him to approach the Pune Cybercrime police station. An FIR was registered earlier this week.
This case is not isolated. Police authorities note that incidents of digital arrest, online extortion, and blackmail continue to be reported frequently. These scams are typically executed by cybercriminals posing as officials from agencies like the police, CBI, Narcotics Department, RBI, and Enforcement Directorate, or even as judges.
The severity of such frauds has drawn attention at the highest levels of government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has specifically flagged these threats in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address, urging citizens to remain vigilant. As previously reported, these operations are often run by complex, cross-border syndicates that launder victims' funds through mule accounts before moving them to international cybercrime networks via cryptocurrency channels.
The Pune case serves as a stark reminder that even educated, senior government officials can be trapped by psychologically manipulative schemes that exploit fear of legal authority. It underscores the critical need for continuous public sensitization about the fact that no legitimate law enforcement agency will ever demand money over the phone for case clearance or ask for fund transfers to private accounts.
