New Delhi, Nov 04: A 32-year-old man was allegedly duped of over Rs 9.5 lakh in Karol Bagh after being falsely accused of involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack by a person posing as the chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), police said.
The caller told the victim that Rs 50 lakh had been credited to a bank account opened in his name in Kashmir. When the accused later demanded more money to grant bail, the victim refused, after which the scammers switched off their phones, police added.
According to the FIR registered on October 14 at Karol Bagh police station, the man was cheated through a digital arrest scam.
On August 13, he received multiple calls from unknown numbers. The callers falsely accused him of being involved in the 2019 Pulwama attack and claimed Rs 50 lakh had been deposited in a Kashmir-based bank account opened using his ID.
“The callers further claimed that the account was linked to my ID and mobile number and warned me to maintain secrecy, stating that some influential persons were also involved. They instructed me to switch on my camera, lock my room, and not inform any family member. They interrogated me step by step, obtained details of my bank accounts and financial condition, and then connected me to another person claiming to be the chief of ATS,” the FIR stated.
The scammers allegedly directed him to appear at the ATS office in Lucknow to join the investigation. When he declined, they instructed him to transfer money for “fund legalisation” to an account purportedly approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and sent him a forged RBI letter, the FIR mentioned.
Acting on their instructions and fearing arrest, the victim transferred Rs 8.90 lakh through his bank account and another Rs 77,000 via UPI. Later, the accused sent him a forged bail application, demanding an additional `4 lakh for his “release.” When he refused, the callers disconnected and switched off their phones, police said. A case under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the BNS has been registered.–(The New Indian Express)
