A call from a man claiming to be the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cost a Bengaluru businessman over Rs 15.45 crore. The call turned out to be a trap that took a hefty sum of money from the businessman's savings.
The victim, Ajit Gopalakrishna Saraf, a resident of Belagavi, received a call from a person impersonating K Subramanyam, claiming to be the Director of the CBI. The caller alleged that two SIM cards registered in his (Saraf) name were linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.
The fraudster further claimed that Naresh Goyal had been arrested and that during the investigation, it was revealed that the victim had laundered Rs 25 lakh from his Canara Bank account in association with Goyal, earning a commission.
The accused threatened Saraf with immediate imprisonment and legal action unless he cooperated. The businessman became a victim of a digital arrest.
According to the police, the victim was subjected to intense psychological pressure, forcing him into compliance.
Fearing arrest, Saraf transferred Rs 15.45 crore via Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) transactions between February 7 and March 9, 2026.
The case came to the fore when Saraf approached the Cyber Crime Police Station after realising he had been duped and registered a complaint.
During the investigation, police identified at least 10 primary beneficiary bank accounts used in the fraud. These accounts have been traced across multiple regions, including Hyderabad, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and West Bengal, indicating the involvement of an organised inter-state cybercrime network.
Police officials stated that efforts are underway to trace the accused, freeze the identified accounts, and recover the defrauded amount.
