In a major breakthrough in a cyber fraud case, Old Goa Police have arrested a man from Kolkata for allegedly duping a 71-year-old retired bank employee of Rs3.13 lakh via a WhatsApp phishing scam.
The fraud was reported under Crime No. 81/2025 at Old Goa Police Station following a complaint by the senior citizen, who resides in St. Cruz, Tiswadi. The accused, identified as Suman Ghughu, was arrested from Kolkata after a meticulous investigation by the cyber unit of North Goa Police.
According to police officials, the incident occurred on May 30, when the victim received a WhatsApp video call from someone impersonating a Bank of Baroda representative named “Mr. Dipak Agarwal.” The fraudster claimed to offer exclusive shopping benefits for retired employees, convincing the victim to share his CVV and OTP details.
Shortly after the call, the victim discovered an unauthorized debit of Rs3,13,000 from his account.
North Goa SP Rahul Gupta confirmed that the investigation team traced the digital trail using technical surveillance and data mapping. The funds had been transferred rapidly through multiple bank accounts to obscure their origin, but all leads pointed to the involvement of Suman Ghughu from Netaji Nagar, Kolkata.
After obtaining legal permissions, Goa Police coordinated with Netaji Nagar Police Station in West Bengal and placed the suspect under watch for two days. Ghughu was apprehended on June 27. Though he initially denied involvement, digital forensics established his link to the scam.
Following his arrest, Ghughu was produced in the ACJM Court, Alipore, which granted three-day transit remand. He has since been brought to Goa and formally arrested at Old Goa Police Station in accordance with due process and Supreme Court guidelines.
He will be presented before the JMFC Court, Merces, on June 30.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to uncover the full scope of the cyber fraud network and to trace the siphoned funds. More arrests may follow.
