A retired Delhi Banker defrauded of nearly 23 crore over a month by cybercriminals who pretended to be government officials. They claimed his landline number and Aadhaar details compromised and used for terror funding. The callers pressured him to sell his assets and transfer funds for an ongoing verification process.
Naresh Malhotra, a former bank official living alone in South Delhi’s Gulmohar Park, targeted by individuals who said they represented telecom companies and law enforcement.
Delhi Banker under digital arrest from 1 August
The incident started on August 1, when a woman claiming to a Airtel representative told him his landline number compromised. She claimed that it used to open several bank accounts in Mumbai linked to a Rs 1,300 crore terror funding case.
Malhotra informed that he was under investigation and arrested under the National Investigation Agency Act. He connected to others pretending to be Mumbai Police officers, who instructed him to join a video call.
Callers sent the arrest warrant to Mr Malhotra
During the call, they showed him a photo of a man supposedly involved in bank fraud and asked if he knew him, which Delhi Banker denied. The callers then asked him to provide personal and financial details, including information about his home, bank accounts, fixed deposits, stocks, and lockers. They also sent him fake documents that looked like a chargesheet and an arrest warrant.
“They made a chargesheet against me and sent it, telling me to read it before they called again. They also shared an arrest warrant. I told not to talk to anyone. They warned me I detained for six months and that if I spoke to anyone, they would arrest me on anti-money laundering charges,” Malhotra told India Today.
Later, the former banker told that his bail arranged if he cooperated and that all his bank accounts investigated. He warned not to share any information with anyone and informed he was under 24-hour surveillance.
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