Thane, Dec 6– A 54-year-old man from Maharashtra’s Thane district lost Rs 59 lakh to cyber fraudsters who impersonated Customs officials and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers, police said.
According to a senior police officer, the victim received a series of phone calls from an individual claiming to be a Customs officer from Delhi. The caller alleged that a parcel addressed to the victim had been seized, and drugs were discovered inside. The victim was further informed that the case had been handed over to the CBI for investigation.
Subsequently, another individual, claiming to be a CBI official, contacted the victim and accused him of being linked to serious criminal activities, including human trafficking and money laundering. The victim was threatened with legal action unless he transferred Rs 59 lakh to accounts specified by the fraudsters to “clear his name.”
“Fearful of the consequences, the victim transferred the money as instructed. However, he later realized he had been scammed and approached the police,” the officer said.
Following the complaint, a case was registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the new penal code replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act. The BNS sections invoked include Section 318(4) for cheating and Section 319(2) for cheating by impersonation.
Police have launched an investigation into the case and are tracing the bank accounts and phone numbers used by the fraudsters.
Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to represent law enforcement or government agencies, especially if financial transactions are requested.
(Inputs from reports)
The Chenab Times News Desk