SRINAGAR: Cyber Police Kashmir successfully resolved a Rs 21 lakh digital fraud case today, arresting three individuals and recovering Rs 4.13 lakh from the accused.
Addressing a press conference, SSP Srinagar Imtiyaz Ahmed said that the scam came to light following a complaint from a senior citizen in Srinagar. The complainant reported being defrauded by individuals impersonating officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“The fraudsters accused the victim of involvement in a fabricated money laundering case amounting to Rs 6.8 crores. To coerce the victim, they issued fake arrest warrants and penalties, labelled their conversations a ‘national secret,’ and instructed the victim to lock his house and avoid communication with others,” the SSP said.
“Under pressure, the victim prematurely closed his fixed deposits and transferred Rs 21 lakh to a fraudulent HDFC Bank account, being falsely assured of a refund within hours.”
An FIR was registered and police initiated a detailed investigation using advanced technical tools.
“Teams were dispatched to Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Punjab, resulting in the arrest of Gaurav Kumar from Shamli (Uttar Pradesh), Gurpreet Singh from Patiala (Punjab), and Ujjawal Chauhan, also from Patiala,” the SSP said.
During the operation, police seized four mobile phones, a MacBook, 13 SIM cards, 24 debit cards, 20 chequebooks, 10 passbooks, and other incriminating materials. An amount of Rs 4.13 lakh has already been credited back to the complainant’s account.
The SSP said that further investigations are underway to identify additional conspirators and dismantle the larger network behind the scam.
The police have issued a public advisory urging citizens to remain cautious while sharing sensitive financial information. “Legitimate government agencies will never demand payments, conduct investigations over phone calls, or request sensitive data online. Citizens are advised to verify such claims and report suspicious activities immediately to the nearest Cyber Police station or helpline,” the SSP added. (KNO)
