Ludhiana, Sep 30 (PTI) An inter-state gang of cyber fraudsters duped Padma Bhushan S P Oswal, Chairman and Managing Director of the renowned Vardhman Group of Rs 7 crore by posing as CBI officers, police said on Monday.
The gang executed an elaborate plan including fake Supreme Court hearings, fake arrest warrants and digital arrests. The scam began with a phone when the accused told Oswal that he had been implicated in a criminal case, police said.
The accused, posing as a CBI officer, told Oswal that they had seized a parcel bound for Malaysia with 58 fake passports, 16 debit cards, and other suspicious materials which was allegedly linked to Oswal’s Aadhar Card, making him a prime suspect in the case, police said.
Knowing that Oswal was a well-known industrialist, the gang capitalized on the potential embarrassment that he could face if the case went public.
To establish credibility, the accused arranged a video call with Oswal, presenting himself in a office environment that featured a large CBI logo in the background. They also forged Supreme Court arrest warrant and sent it to Oswal on WhatsApp, further intensifying the sense of urgency and fear, police said.
The accused told Oswal that he would be “digitally arrested” without the need for any physical intervention, thus avoiding public scrutiny. He also promised to arrange a lawyer in Mumbai who could secure Oswal’s bail.
In exchange for this help, the accused convinced Oswal to transfer Rs 7 crore to two different bank accounts. The scammer reassured Oswal that the money would be refunded once he was cleared of all charges, police said.
However, Oswal later discussed the matter with his manager, who raised doubts about the legitimacy of the claims. They contacted the police, leading to the discovery of the scam, police said.
The Cyber Crime Police Station in Ludhiana launched an investigation and arrestedAtanoo Chaudhary and Anand Kumar Chaudhary from Guwahati, Assam. They were found to have arranged the bank accounts that received the funds, police said.
The police also managed to recover Rs 5.25 crore from the accused. During the investigation, the police found that five other people involved in the case are currently at large, they said.
The arrested individuals are reportedly linked to a larger network involved in such scams, and the police are working to identify and apprehend the remaining culprits, they added. PTI COR VSD HIG HIG
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