Senior citizen duped Rs 5 lakh over false ‘terror’ accusations

A group of cyber fraudsters allegedly duped a 60-year-old woman from southwest Delhi, defrauding her of approximately Rs 5 lakh. The fraudsters falsely accused her of having connections with Khalistani terror groups and drug peddlers.

According to the filed FIR on May 29, the victim received a call from an individual claiming to be from a reputable courier company. The caller informed her that she had booked a courier to Canada, which encountered some issues.

Denying any knowledge of such a booking, the victim expressed her confusion. The caller then insinuated a terrorist conspiracy, specifically mentioning Khalistani involvement. Disturbed by the allegations, the victim was advised by the caller to immediately file an FIR. He also offered to connect her with someone at Amboli police station in Mumbai.

Feeling pressured, the woman agreed to the caller’s assistance, and she was connected to a person named Sibb Shejol. Shejol conducted a video call with her, assuring her that he had filed an FIR and escalated the matter to the crime branch.

According to the FIR, Shejol subsequently arranged a conference call between the woman and his senior, who accused her of participating in a terrorist plot and ordered Shejol to arrest her. The woman vehemently denied all the allegations made against her.

Shejol also informed the woman that an account had been opened in her name in Mumbai, using her PAN and Aadhaar numbers, a claim she refuted. In an attempt to intensify the scheme, Shejol informed the woman that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had assigned a public prosecutor named Nishant C Shukla to investigate her case.

The victim spoke with Shukla, who presented his Bar Council card to gain her trust. Shukla also shared photos and Aadhaar cards of three other purported special officers, claiming they were appointed for her and her family’s security due to potential threats to their lives.

Shukla further stated that the case was linked to a person named Vipul Jain, a banker involved in a fraud of Rs 450 crore. The woman was informed that Jain was associated with terrorism and drugs, and she was one of 80 individuals involved in the case. The victim was falsely accused of receiving a commission from this fraud.

In order to protect herself from the case, Shukla informed her that an affidavit for anticipatory bail needed to be filed in 10 departments in Mumbai. The woman was also summoned to Mumbai for the investigation. When she refused to comply, the accused demanded the purchase of three bond papers worth Rs 5,000 each for each of the 10 departments, totaling Rs 1.5 lakh, along with an additional Rs 45,780 for notary/affidavit/stamp duty, amounting to a total of Rs 1,95,780.

After making the payment, the fraudsters demanded an additional Rs 1,08,000 for typing the papers. Fearing arrest, money laundering charges, and drug trafficking allegations, the victim paid the requested amount of Rs 1,08,000 to protect herself, despite the humiliation. The accused cautioned her against discussing the matter with anyone else, emphasizing its high-profile nature under the PMO’s supervision.

The extortion didn’t end there, as the victim ended up paying a total of Rs 4,99,560 to the fraudsters. Eventually, she decided to report the incident to the police.

A police official commented on the case, stating that people become victims of cybercrime either due to fear or greed. Cybercriminals entice individuals with lucrative offers to make quick money or instill fear through false narratives to extort them. The official advised people to immediately report such incidents to local police for swift action