A 59-year-old Border Security Force (BSF) inspector stationed at the BSF Academy in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh, fell victim to a cyber fraud amounting to over ₹70 lakh after being subjected to a “digital arrest” for nearly a month. The case was revealed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Dharmaveer Singh on Tuesday.
The fraudsters impersonated officials from the Mumbai Cyber Crime Wing and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), threatening the officer and his family with arrest. According to the FIR, the fraudulent activities spanned the entire month of December, beginning on December 2.
The inspector lodged a complaint reporting a financial loss of ₹70,29,990 to unidentified individuals. The perpetrators claimed the victim was under investigation for “fake accounts” and coerced him into transferring large sums of money to various accounts.
SP Singh explained, “The victim is a BSF officer posted as an Inspector at the BSF Academy Tekanpur. He reported receiving a call on December 2 from individuals posing as officials of the ED and Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch. They alleged he was under investigation for fake accounts and threatened that his family members would also face arrest.”
Under immense pressure, the officer complied with the fraudsters’ demands and transferred money multiple times throughout December. He even traveled to Lucknow on leave to process further transactions, as per the complaint.
The fraud came to light when the officer’s son discovered the situation and reported it to the authorities. SP Singh stated, “The victim did not inform his senior officers, colleagues, or family members during the period of fraud. It was only when his son became aware of the matter that it was brought to our attention.”
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case. Details of the bank accounts used in the fraudulent transactions have been collected, and the investigation is underway. SP Singh added, “A case has been registered, and the team is working diligently to trace the culprits and recover the funds.”
This incident highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber crimes and the need for vigilance against such scams, especially for individuals in sensitive roles.