Patna: A woman in Patna allegedly lost around Rs 80 lakh over nearly one and a half years after cyber fraudsters contacted her on Telegram and used the names of prominent businessmen to gain her trust.
The victim, Mehna Nawal, is the daughter of doctor Neena Agarwal, a resident of Pushp Vihar Apartment on Exhibition Road under the Gandhi Maidan police station area.
An FIR has been registered at the Patna Cyber Police Station based on a written complaint filed by Agarwal. Sangeeta Kumari, DSP of the Cyber Police Station, confirmed the case and said police were investigating the matter using technical evidence.
Fraudsters allegedly posed as business figures
According to the FIR, the fraudsters initially contacted Nawal through Telegram. They allegedly claimed to be Kavin Bharti Mittal, son of businessman Sunil Bharti Mittal, and an associate of Elon Musk.
The accused reportedly used Telegram IDs including ‘@officia KBM’ and ‘founder CEO @team’. Through regular conversations, they allegedly developed a relationship with Naval and gradually gained her confidence.
The fraudsters reportedly used different pretexts to obtain money from her. At various points, they allegedly promised her jobs with reputed companies or offered to make her a shareholder.
They also allegedly sought money citing the need for emergency medical treatment for an individual.
Money transferred over 18 months
The alleged fraud continued for around one and a half years. According to the complaint, Nawal withdrew money from her mother’s savings account and transferred it to bank accounts specified by the accused.
The fraudsters allegedly told her at one point that their bank account had been frozen and assured her that the money would be returned once the issue was resolved.
Trusting these assurances, she continued making transfers. The amount eventually reached around Rs 80 lakh, according to the FIR.
The family was initially unaware of the transactions, the complaint states.
Missing savings expose alleged fraud
The alleged fraud came to light when Neena Agarwal went to withdraw money from her bank account and noticed that a substantial amount was missing.
After checking the account details, she found that large sums had been transferred to multiple bank accounts. She then questioned her daughter, following which the family learned about the prolonged communication with the alleged fraudsters and the transfers made over the previous 18 months.
Agarwal subsequently filed a complaint with the Patna Cyber Police Station, leading to the registration of the FIR.
Police trace digital and banking trail
Police are examining Telegram conversations, account details, mobile numbers, bank accounts and transaction records as part of the investigation.
Investigators are also trying to identify the accounts that received the money and trace subsequent transfers to establish where the funds went.
The identities of the people behind the Telegram accounts and the allegations made in the FIR will be established through the ongoing investigation.
