Mumbai Fraud News: Mulund Woman Duped Of ₹7.38 Lakh By Instagram Astrologer; Cyber Fraud Case Registered

Mumbai: A 25-year-old Axis Bank employee from Mulund (West) was allegedly cheated of Rs 7.38 lakh by an unidentified individual posing as an astrologer on Instagram. The Mulund Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Fraud Begins on Instagram

The complainant, Vigha Nagaraj Gowda, a former Axis Bank team manager in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, had recently resigned from her job and faced personal turmoil after her engagement was called off. On April 9, 2025, she came across an Instagram account named astrologerpraveenkumar, which listed a WhatsApp contact.

Soon after, she received a call from someone claiming to be Praveen Kumar of Mahakal Devi Sanstha, who inquired about her personal problems and assured her resolution within seven hours for a payment of Rs 7,800 via Google Pay.

Escalating Demands and Payments

The accused repeatedly convinced Gowda that additional rituals were necessary, demanding further payments: Rs 18,700 for another ritual, Rs 3 lakh as ‘dakshina’ for a special puja, Rs 3.5 lakh for a dargah puja.

Believing these payments would resolve her issues, she complied. Eventually, the fraudster blocked her calls and stopped responding, prompting her to approach the police and file a complaint via the national cyber crime portal (1930).

Investigation Underway

The Mulund Police have registered a case under relevant BNS and IT Act sections. Authorities are tracing the accused and attempting to recover the defrauded funds. Citizens are urged to exercise caution while dealing with online astrologers or unknown social media contacts.