Cyber ​​fraudsters impersonate ATS officers to extort ₹21.5 lakh from retired Jabalpur employee under digital arrest

Cyber ​​fraudsters pretended to be ATS officers and extorted money Jabalpur police on Saturday said Rs 21.5 lakh was recovered from a 72-year-old retired government employee after keeping him under “digital arrest” for three days.

Complainant Avinash Chandra of Napier city received a call on December 1 from a person who identified himself as an ATS officer from Pune. The caller claimed that Chandra’s bank account and Aadhaar number had been used in terrorist funding.

‘ATS officials’ sent some documents to Chandra on WhatsApp and threatened to arrest him and his son and confiscate their property if he did not cooperate.

They kept him on video call from 9 am to 7 pm daily for three days, monitored his movements and prevented him from contacting anyone, police said.

The accused allegedly sent her bank account numbers and forced her to transfer money in three instalments. According to the police, they allegedly told him that the amount was being held “temporarily” and would be returned in six days.

The fraudsters also obtained details of his property by threatening him with 18 years of jail and heavy fine if he did not give the information. He allegedly sent fake documents from the Defense Ministry to gain their trust.

Police said that when Chandra’s family approached the cyber police to lodge a complaint, the fraudsters allegedly called again and told them that the money would not be returned.

Police said that a case has been registered against unknown accused.