An 80-year-old retired agricultural scientist fell victim to a week-long “digital arrest” by cyber criminals who extorted Rs 23 lakh from him, officials said on Monday.
File Photo/ IANS
An 80-year-old retired agricultural scientist fell victim to a week-long “digital arrest” by cyber criminals who extorted Rs 23 lakh from him, officials said on Monday.
The fraudsters impersonated officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department, threatening Dr HC Nitant with false legal charges.
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Dr Nitant, a resident of Srinagar Colony in Trans-Yamuna and former Principal Scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), received a WhatsApp call on the morning of September 10. The caller, identifying himself as Ajay Patil from the Enforcement Directorate, claimed that a bank account under Dr Nitant’s name in Mumbai was linked to illegal transactions worth Rs 30 crore, allegedly involving a child trafficking racket.
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Panicked by the accusations, Dr Nitant attempted to clarify that there might be a mistake. The call was disconnected, but the psychological pressure had already begun. The next day, on September 11, another call came, this time from a person claiming to be an Income Tax officer. Over the next seven days, the fraudsters repeatedly called and intimidated the elderly scientist, convincing him that his name was involved in serious crimes.
To build trust, the fraudsters even sent Dr Nitant a copy of his Aadhaar card via WhatsApp, further adding to the illusion of legitimacy. Believing the threats to be real and fearing arrest, Dr Nitant broke his fixed deposit and transferred Rs 23 lakh to the fraudsters’ account on September 17.
The scam came to light when the victim confided in his son on September 18. Suspecting cyber fraud, his son immediately helped him file a complaint with the Cyber Police Station.
A case was registered by the police on Sunday, and the cybercrime unit is currently investigating the matter. Police have urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant and not fall for such intimidation tactics by fraudsters posing as government officials.
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