Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh): A retired lineman from Barwat village in Jhabua's Petlawad area allegedly lost nearly Rs 8 lakh to cybercriminals on Friday. According to reports, retired lineman Purushottam Patidar received a call from a person allegedly pretending to be a police officer.
The caller claimed Patidar had a bank account in Mumbai linked to a terror organization. The fraudster said suspicious transactions worth over Rs 2 crore had been made with the account, and a money laundering case was registered against him.
The accused allegedly asked for Patidar’s Aadhaar details and sent him a fake police report and bank statements through WhatsApp.
The accused also sought Rs 20 lakh to settle the matter. To arrange the money, Patidar went to the District Cooperative Central Bank in Sarangi and broke his Rs 15 lakh fixed deposit. The accused allegedly kept calling from another number, giving him instructions and warning him not to tell anyone.
Around 4 pm, the bank manager asked Patidar why he was transferring such a large amount to another state. Out of fear, Patidar lied that he was sending the money to his brother for buying a property.
After some hesitation, the bank transferred Rs 7.99 lakh to a private bank account in Kolkata.
When Patidar returned home, his son Manoj noticed his father’s stress. After questioning, the whole fraud came to light.
The family immediately filed a complaint at Raipuria police station. Police have begun investigating and warned people to stay alert against such calls.
