In a significant cyber fraud case from the national capital, a retired scientist, Sukdev Nandi, was duped of Rs1.29 crore by fraudsters posing as CBI officers who threatened him with a fake “digital arrest.” The scam has raised concerns about increasing cybercrimes targeting senior citizens and professionals.
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested two individuals, Pradeep Kumar Singh and Mahfooz, from Shaheed Path, Lucknow, in connection with the case. The accused coerced Nandi into transferring the huge sum, leveraging fear of arrest and legal consequences.
Pradeep Kumar Singh, director of Narayani Infra Developer Private Limited, received the defrauded amount in his company’s ICICI Bank corporate account. Investigations revealed that Singh was also paid 871 units of cryptocurrency via the Binance app, indicating digital laundering of the proceeds.
Mahfooz, the second accused, received Rs9 lakh from the fraud. Authorities believe the money was laundered through multiple layers and converted to digital currency to avoid detection.
The case was initially registered in Bareilly and is being probed by the Bareilly Cyber Crime Cell, while the STF tracks other suspects who remain at large.
The fraud surfaced after Nandi filed a complaint alleging he was impersonated and threatened by individuals claiming to be CBI officers. Fearing legal repercussions and public embarrassment, he complied with their demands.
Authorities have warned citizens to be vigilant and avoid responding to coercive calls from those impersonating government officials.
