Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The CBI, Bhopal, has registered a case in connection with a digital arrest scam in which a retired employee of the irrigation department was robbed by cyber fraudsters. The case was registered following suo motu cognisance taken per Supreme Court orders.
The 64-year-old victim, a resident of Bawadia Kalan in Bhopal, retired from the electrical engineering light machinery division of the irrigation department. On Nov 4, 2024, she received a video call informing her that a complaint had been filed against her.
Shortly after, she received another call from a person posing as an officer of the Internal Security and Counter Terrorism Department. The caller threatened her, claiming that funds from her account had been used for terrorism and that legal action would be initiated. She was further intimidated with the threat of property seizure and shown a forged seizure order.
On Nov 6 and Nov 7, she was coerced into depositing money into specified accounts. She transferred Rs 16.50 lakh and Rs 9.15 lakh over the two days, totaling Rs25.65 lakh.
The victim initially filed a complaint with the cyber police on Nov 28. Following a suo motu writ petition in the Supreme Court and subsequent judicial orders, a regular case has been re-registered against unknown suspects. The investigation has been entrusted to inspector Abhishek Sonekar of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Bhopal.
