Hyderabad: A 61-year-old govt school headmaster from Ramagundam fell victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud in March, losing ₹65 lakh to scammers who impersonated officials from central agencies.
The fraudsters falsely accused him of having links to a criminal involved in human trafficking and money laundering, claims allegedly under investigation by the CBI. When the scammers demanded an additional ₹35.5 lakh via a fake Enforcement Directorate notice, the distressed victim finally confided in his family and lodged a police complaint with the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau.
The ordeal began on March 15, when the headmaster received a call from an unknown person claiming to be a representative of the telephone department. The caller alleged that a criminal case had been registered against him in Bengaluru and then added another person to the call, who identified himself as CBI inspector Shiva Prasad.
The impersonator is believed to have told the headmaster that his phone number—linked to his Aadhaar card—was being used to forward objectionable messages to women. “They made me show my Aadhaar card over a video call and soon sent a fabricated FIR document, accusing me of sending abusive messages. When I explained my age and that I was a school headmaster, they told me to reach Bengaluru within two hours. As I said it wasn’t possible, they recorded my statement via WhatsApp video call,” the victim said in his complaint.
During the call, someone on a wireless set could be heard instructing the purported ‘CBI officer’ to arrest the victim, claiming that his Aadhaar was linked to Sadaqat Khan, a man accused in human trafficking and money laundering cases.
Threat and extortion
The fraudsters intensified the fear by claiming that Khan had confessed before a Supreme Court judge, stating that he had paid ₹30 lakh to the headmaster. The victim was warned not to disclose the investigation to anyone, as it supposedly fell under the “National Secret Act-1923.”
Feeling helpless, the headmaster pleaded for a way to clear his name. The scammers then connected him to a person posing as IPS officer Akash Kulhari, allegedly a CBI officer. Over a video call, Akash assured the victim that he could help by coordinating with the Supreme Court’s audit wing. Between March 18 and 28, the victim transferred ₹65 lakh to five bank accounts for what he was told was court verification.
The final straw
On April 1, the fraudsters sent the headmaster a forged ED notice, demanding an additional ₹35.5 lakh. Emotionally and financially exhausted, the headmaster finally opened up to his family, who urged him to report the incident.
Based on his complaint, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau registered a case at Ramagundam police station on April 15 under section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and section 66D (impersonation and cyber fraud) of the Information Technology Act.
Investigations are underway, and authorities are tracing the bank accounts used in the scam to identify and apprehend the culprits.