The Thane Cyber Crime Branch has busted a sophisticated cyber fraud racket that scammed over Rs3 crore from a victim by “digitally arresting” him via a fake CBI video call. Three accused from Mumbai have been arrested in connection with the case.
The accused are Kishor Jain (63), chairman of Satkar Patpethi and resident of Dadar; Mahesh Pawan Kothari (36), a garment and imitation jewelry businessman from Santacruz; and Dhaval Bhalerao (26), a cosmetics businessman from Bhandup.
The victim was initially contacted by fraudsters claiming a parcel addressed to him had been seized, containing illicit items like MD powder, a laptop, passport, and credit cards. The victim was instructed to report to Kalwa Police Station.
The scammers escalated the deception by conducting a video call impersonating a CBI officer and sending forged case documents. They “digitally arrested” the victim, creating a false legal emergency.
Under pressure, the victim was coerced into transferring funds totaling over Rs3 crore into multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters for “verification” purposes. When the money was not returned, the victim filed an FIR with Thane Nagar Police Station.
