A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light in Lucknow, where retired Principal Private Secretary of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Dinesh Prakash Pradhan, was trapped
by cyber criminals who kept him under what they called a “digital arrest” for five days. During this period, the fraudsters extorted Rs 50 lakh by transferring money from his bank accounts to multiple accounts across different states.
The PGI police station has now registered an FIR in the matter and initiated a probe in collaboration with the cyber crime cell.
The ordeal began on August 18, when Pradhan received a phone call from a woman identifying herself as Inspector Anita Verma. The caller alleged that a criminal case had been registered against him in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. To instill fear, she further claimed that money had been routed to terrorist groups using his Aadhaar card.
To lend authenticity to the claim, the fraudsters sent him a fabricated case number and even a forged picture of an arrest warrant through WhatsApp. The caller warned that police personnel were on their way to arrest him.
The following day, on August 19, the pressure intensified. Another fraudster called, this time introducing himself as police officer Deepak Sharma. He accused Pradhan of being part of a massive terror funding case, alleging that Rs 70 crore had been transferred to terrorists from his accounts.
The caller went further, claiming that 10% of the supposed terror funds, amounting to nearly Rs 70 lakh, had been deposited into Pradhan’s account as “commission”. He threatened that unless the money was returned immediately, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) would arrest him and his children would be killed.
Fearing arrest and harm to his family, Pradhan complied with the instructions of the fraudsters and transferred large sums of money over the next few days.
- On August 19, he transferred Rs 20 lakh from his Bank of India (SGPGI branch) account to Taramani Enterprises at UCO Bank, Bhadrak (Odisha).
- On August 20, another Rs 14 lakh was transferred to Buddha Yoga Health Foundation at IndusInd Bank, Guntur (Andhra Pradesh).
- On August 22, Rs 16 lakh was wired to an account held by Sanjay Santram Sun Bodhkar at ICICI Bank, Panda branch.
The harassment did not end there. Fraudsters continued to call and threaten him until August 29, demanding further payments.
Finally, unable to bear the pressure, Pradhan approached PGI police station and reported the crime. Police have registered a case against unidentified persons under relevant sections of fraud and criminal conspiracy.
Investigators are now working with the cyber crime cell to trace the fraudsters. Efforts have been initiated to freeze the bank accounts where the defrauded money was deposited. The police are also analysing call records and WhatsApp chats to establish the trail of the criminals.
Authorities have warned residents to be on high alert against such tactics by cyber criminals. The in-charge of PGI police station stated, “Cyber thugs cheat people by resorting to fear and pressure. In case of any suspicious call, immediately contact the local police or cyber cell.”
The police further urged that sensitive personal information such as Aadhaar card details or bank account numbers should never be shared over the phone, no matter how convincing the caller appears to be.
This case highlights the growing menace of cyber fraud, where criminals exploit fear, intimidation, and fabricated legal documents to dupe unsuspecting citizens. For a senior retired government officer to be trapped in such a scheme underscores how sophisticated and manipulative these fraud networks have become.
The investigation is underway, and police hope to make headway soon with assistance from inter-state agencies and cyber forensic teams.
