Muzaffarpur, April 26: In a shocking incident in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, cybercriminals have defrauded a man of ₹67 lakh by instilling fear of a ‘digital arrest.’ The fraudsters posed as CBI officials and ensnared the victim through international and national WhatsApp calls, threatening to implicate him in a money laundering case. Following a swift response from the Muzaffarpur police, two cybercriminals, a father-son duo, have been arrested.
According to reports, on April 4 and 6, the scammers contacted Mahesh Gami, a resident of Muzaffarpur, via WhatsApp. They claimed to be CBI officials, alleging that his Aadhaar card was linked to money laundering activities. Under pressure and fear of arrest, Mahesh transferred ₹67 lakh to the accounts provided by the fraudsters.
Realizing he had been scammed, Mahesh promptly filed a complaint at the cyber police station, leading to the registration of a case. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Senior SP Kantesh Mishra formed a special team under the leadership of City SP Mohibullah Ansari. The team included DSP Rohan Kumar and other cyber officials.
Through technical and human investigation, the police analyzed various bank accounts and traced the cybercriminals. It was revealed that Priyaranjan Sharma and his son Anant Abhishek, residents of the Rajiv Nagar police area in Patna, orchestrated the scam.
Further investigation uncovered that the duo was operating a cyber fraud network under the guise of an NGO, with links to Chennai and Mumbai. Cases against them have also been registered in these cities. The police are currently reviewing their past criminal and cybercrime records.
From the suspects, the police recovered ₹23,900 in cash, a laptop, 19 passbooks and checkbooks from various banks, three mobile phones, four seals, a pen drive, three scanners, and numerous banking-related documents.
The police have hailed this operation as a significant success. Senior SP Kantesh Mishra emphasized the need for individuals to remain vigilant about the security of their documents and bank accounts in the digital age. He urged anyone suspecting cyber fraud to contact the cyber police station immediately to file a complaint, stating that timely reporting can help prevent further scams.