Shishpal alias Subhash Baburam (31) from Chitarbora village, Phalodi district, Rajasthan, was apprehended by Berhampur police in Gujarat following court approval. Shishpal was already imprisoned in Gujarat’s Bhoj district for another case before being transferred to Odisha for prosecution.
The scam began on January 20 when an anonymous caller impersonating a CBI officer contacted a teacher couple in Kukudakhandi block, Odisha. The fraudster falsely alleged that the husband’s mobile number was linked to a Rs 2.38 crore financial fraud case in Maharashtra, warning of an arrest warrant.
To lend credibility, scammers conducted WhatsApp video calls with impersonators posing as police officers and a Supreme Court judge, pressuring the couple. Over three days, the couple transferred Rs 34.5 lakh into specified accounts, believing they were resolving the fabricated legal issues. They only realized the deception when no confirmation of fund recovery was received.
After filing a complaint at Berhampur’s Cyber & Economic Offences Police Station, authorities traced the money trail and the scam’s origin. With judicial permission, Shishpal was brought to Odisha and produced before the SDJM Court, Berhampur. His bail was rejected, and he was sent to Berhampur Circle Jail.
Police continue the investigation, pursuing leads that may reveal more accomplices involved in the scam.
