The South Cyber Police Region has arrested three individuals in connection with a Rs1.51 crore cyber fraud, targeting a 78-year-old woman through a fake “digital arrest” scam.
The accused — Sapan Prafull Kumar (Diva, Thane), and Imran and Abbu Bakar (Rabale) — were remanded in police custody until July 24. Investigators say Kumar supplied multiple bank accounts to Imran and Abbu Bakar, which were used to receive the victim’s funds.
The victim, Jyoti Premanand Bandodkar, a homemaker residing near Bank of Baroda on Bhulabhai Desai Road, was first contacted on December 6, 2024, by a man posing as “Amit Kumar from DHL Courier, Delhi.” She was falsely told that a parcel in her name, bound for Bangkok, contained illegal items, including expired passports and narcotics.
Scammers impersonated Delhi Crime Branch officers using names like M.K. Mohandas, Inspector Anant Rana, Vijay Pal, and George Mathew. Through WhatsApp video calls, fake documents, and threats of arrest and digital surveillance, they coerced Bandodkar into transferring Rs1.51 crore from her IDBI Bank account.
The victim discovered the fraud after confiding in her relatives, who helped her file a complaint through the national cybercrime helpline (1930). Police are tracing the Dubai-based mastermind and others involved. Citizens are advised not to share banking details with unknown callers and verify identities of anyone claiming to represent law enforcement.
