Mumbai: In a shocking cyber fraud case, an 82-year-old retired man from Vile Parle (West) was cheated of ₹1.08 crore by a gang posing as officials from the Telecom Department, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Delhi Police. An FIR has been registered at the West Region Cyber Police Station against unknown persons.
Elaborate Scam Using Video Calls
According to the FIR, Bidhin Manharlal Bakshi received a WhatsApp video call on September 30, 2025, from a person claiming to be Pawan Kumar, an officer from the Telecom Department in Delhi. The caller alleged misuse of Bakshi’s Aadhaar card to open a fake Canara Bank account, facilitating illegal international transactions.
Later, the victim received calls from individuals posing as Khushi Sharma, a Delhi Police sub-inspector, and Hemraj Kohli, a CBI officer. They warned of an impending arrest warrant and demanded his bank account details for a so-called “clearance certificate.”
Elderly Victim Transfers Funds
Convinced and frightened, Bakshi transferred ₹1.08 crore from his and his wife’s accounts to the fraudsters’ accounts. The scammers maintained contact via WhatsApp video calls, repeatedly threatening him not to inform anyone, including his children.
Investigation Underway
After realizing the scam, Bakshi filed a complaint at West Region Cyber Police Station. The police registered a case under sections related to cheating, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy of the BNS and IT Act. Investigations are ongoing to trace the money and identify the accused using mobile numbers and bank account details. Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid sharing personal or banking information with unknown callers posing as officials.
