Navi Mumbai, Jan 20: A case has been registered with the Navi Mumbai Cyber Police after cyber criminals impersonating officials from the Supreme Court, NIA, ED and RBI allegedly cheated an 80-year-old retired director from Kharghar of Rs 4.38 crore by threatening him with arrest and national security charges. Police have launched an extensive investigation to trace the accused and the money trail.
How the fraud began
The victim, a resident of Kharghar Sector-12, is a former director of a reputed engineering and technology institute in Jaipur, Rajasthan. On November 18, 2025, he received a call from a person claiming to be an officer from “Cyber Data Protection of India”, who alleged that the victim’s Aadhaar card had been misused to obtain a fake SIM card and that a criminal case had been registered against him in Nashik.
Impersonation of senior officials
Thereafter, multiple callers posing as Nashik Police, Crime Branch and NIA officials contacted the senior citizen and threatened him with immediate arrest.
The accused later impersonated IPS officer Vishwas Nagre Patil and contacted him through WhatsApp video calls, claiming that his case had been transferred to the National Investigation Department and that warrants had been issued in his name.
Forged documents and threats
To make the threats appear genuine, the cyber criminals sent forged FIRs, RBI orders, ED warrants and documents bearing Supreme Court letterheads via WhatsApp.
They falsely informed the victim that he was involved in a money laundering case linked to national security and warned him not to discuss the matter with anyone.
Money transferred under pressure
The fraudsters then instructed the victim to transfer his money into a “special account” allegedly opened by the RBI for verification purposes. They assured him that the entire amount would be returned along with compensation once the inquiry was completed.
Under severe mental pressure and trusting the fabricated documents, the retired director transferred Rs 4.38 crore to various bank accounts between November 2025 and January 2026.
Used as a money mule
Police also found that the gang routed around Rs 1.02 crore, cheated from other victims, through the director’s bank account on November 24 and 25 before transferring it to other accounts, effectively using him as a money mule.
Complaint and police warning
The fraud came to light after Nagpur Cyber Police froze the victim’s bank account in December due to suspicious transactions. After realising he had been cheated, the victim lodged a complaint on the NCCRP portal on January 10, 2026, following which a formal case was registered with the Navi Mumbai Cyber Police.
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“A case has been registered and we are examining bank transactions, call records and digital evidence to identify the accused. Citizens should remember that no law-enforcement or government agency asks for money transfers over phone calls or messaging applications,” a senior officer from the Navi Mumbai Cyber Police said.
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