Fake CBI Gang Dupes Retired Executive Into Paying Rs 85 lakh, Accused At Large

A retired senior executive of a multinational firm was duped into paying Rs 85 lakh by a gang posing as CBI, following a two day interrogation on Skype.

The victim was forced to transfer the money to a non-existing garment company through a cheque. The money was then sent to 105 bank accounts across India, according to the FIR filed with the police in Visakhapatnam.

A complaint has been registered in Delhi as well. HDFC Bank's Uttam Nagar branch has also filed a police complaint over fraud, the retired officer told NDTV.

"I had three years of service left, but took voluntary retirement as I needed time to prepare my son to send to college aboard. I got the retirement settlement on May 2. My son's visa appointment was on May 17. But on May 14, I was duped by the gang into sending Rs 85 lakh, which they said would be returned after checking my records," said the distraught 57-year-old retired associate general manager of a German pharma firm with operations in India.

The retired officer assumed the involvement of some insiders in the bank in Visakhapatnam. He claimed that the gang knew everything about his account, including the precise amount he received after retirement.

"The gang told me to go to the nearest HDFC Bank and drop the cheque," he stated.

The Crime Branch has taken several documents from the HDFC Bank in Visakhapatnam, the victim said.

"According to HDFC Bank, they are working with the Crime Branch. I have also informed the police that the Uttam Nagar HDFC branch did not perform a KYC check on Rana Garments. When Delhi police visited Rana Garments, they discovered that another company was using the space. The proprietor of Rana Garments cannot be located," the officer confirmed.

He was later contacted by a man who identified himself as "DCP Cyber Crime Balsing Rajput". He accused the victim of several narcotics and money laundering cases, threatening to throw him in jail on these charges. The fake DCP then dialled a pretense senior to ask if they should file an FIR against the retired man.

"I was under immense pressure and threatened by them that I would be jailed then and there. The fake DCP after speaking for a while with his fake boss said I look innocent, so they should take the Rs 85 lakh for investigation and return it to me if the police find nothing amiss," the retired officer told NDTV.

"My 'interrogation' on Skype went on for two days. They did not let me leave home or call anyone," he said.

Forced and pressurised, the officer eventually made the deposit with the fake promise of his money being returned to him following the verification.

Unfortunately, the police refuse to give the officer any information concerning the findings so far.