By: Arvind Jadhav
New Mumbai: A woman professor in Navi Mumbai was duped of Rs 1.81 crore by a gang posing as Income Tax officials. The gang used the modus operandi of “digital arrest” to cheat the victim. They claimed that a tax evasion complaint had been filed against her in Delhi and that she had to pay Rs 8.62 lakh as tax dues.
The Modus Operandi
The accused sent fake documents of CBI, ED, and the Supreme Court via WhatsApp to instill fear in the victim. They claimed that the victim’s credit card was involved in the “Amit Chaudhary case” and that strict action would be taken against her. The victim was told that she was under “digital arrest” and that her entire property would be investigated.
The Investigation and Arrests
When the victim realized she had been duped, she filed a complaint with the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch. Based on the complaint, the Crime Branch conducted a swift investigation and arrested three accused. These accused were duping people by posing as fake government officials and threatening them with digital arrest.
Appeal to Citizens
The Navi Mumbai Police have appealed to citizens to be cautious of such calls and messages. They have warned people not to share their financial information with unknown callers and to verify the authenticity of any government official claiming to contact them. The police are working to crack down on such cybercrime cases and prevent further losses to innocent citizens.
