Panchkula man answered ‘CBI’ call and lost Rs 11 lakh

A gang of fraudsters posing as Delhi Police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials duped a 58-year-old resident of Panchkula. ₹11.74 lakh through an elaborate fraud.

The victim, Tamal Chakravarty, a private sector employee residing in Suncity Parikrama, Panchkula, received a call from an unknown number on November 13, threatening suspension of phone service.

The caller, claiming to be from the Delhi Police, claimed that Chakravarty’s name was linked to a money laundering case and that an arrest warrant had been issued in his name. He was given two options; He would either visit Delhi in person or collaborate online for further proceedings. Chakravarty said he complied with their instructions under pressure.

The fraudsters convinced Chakravarty to download Skype and connect to an account named “Delhi CCHQ”.

Fraudster posed as a police officer in video call

In the video call, a man wearing a police inspector uniform introduced himself as “inspector Amit Sharma”. He presented Chakravarty with a fake arrest warrant allegedly issued by the Enforcement Directorate. During the meeting, another person who appeared to be a senior official was introduced to emphasize the “urgency of the issue.”

The so-called senior official warned Chakravarty that his bank accounts would be seized and insisted on immediate action. He was instructed to remain silent about the incident and communicate only via WhatsApp and Skype.

The next day, on November 14, Chakravarty received another call from a different number on WhatsApp. The fraudsters demanded that he transfer all his savings to a bank account they gave them, under the pretext of securing his assets. Under intense pressure, Chakravarty visited the HDFC Bank branch in Sector 20 in Panchkula and got transferred. ₹11.74 lakh through RTGS.

Doubts arose when the fraudsters asked if there were any fixed deposits in Chakravarty’s name. Realizing the possibility of being scammed, he consulted colleagues who confirmed his fears.

The police recorded Chakravarty’s statement after receiving his complaint through the cyber portal, which led to registration of a case under Sections 316 (2), 318 (4), 319, 336 (3), 338, 340 and 61 of the BNS.