A 90-year-old former district judge in Jaipur, Ganpat Singh Bhandari, has reportedly fallen victim to cyber fraud, losing Rs 2.5 crore over a span of approximately 15 days. Authorities confirmed on Thursday that the fraudulent scheme involved impersonators posing as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The situation came to light following an intervention by a manager at the State Bank of India (SBI), who intervened before Bhandari could transfer additional funds from his Public Provident Fund (PPF) account.

The fraud was uncovered when Bhandari, feeling pressured by the ongoing threats from the scammers, attempted to conduct another transaction at the bank on August 10. The incident prompted his nephew, Ravindra Singh Mohnot, to file a formal complaint at the Jyoti Nagar police station on August 12, leading to an investigation.

Details of the Fraudulent Scheme

The alleged fraud began on July 28, when Bhandari received a video call via WhatsApp from an unknown number. The caller, dressed in a police uniform and claiming to be a CBI officer from Mumbai, informed Bhandari of a detected hawala transaction worth Rs 50 crore in Mumbai. He claimed that Rs 40 lakh from this transaction had been erroneously credited to Bhandari’s SBI account and threatened arrest if no action was taken.

Subsequently, another caller, impersonating an RBI manager, instructed Bhandari to provide details of his financial investments. The scammers employed intimidation tactics to extract personal information and documents from Bhandari. Under duress, he cooperated, disclosing his investment details and transferring large sums of money as directed by the fraudsters, believing it would assist in the alleged investigation.

Throughout this period, Bhandari was advised to erase any digital evidence of his communications with the criminals. The pressure tactics continued, compelling him to transfer Rs 2,50,51,000 from his SBI account between August 3 and 10, including significant amounts on specific dates, such as Rs 22.17 lakh and Rs 28.34 lakh on August 3.

Bank Intervention and Current Status

On August 10, as Bhandari attempted to withdraw additional funds from his PPF account, the bank manager grew suspicious of the large transactions. Upon questioning Bhandari, the manager realised he appeared to be a victim of a cyber fraud scheme. This prompted immediate action to halt the transfer of approximately Rs 1.5 crore that remained in his account.

Following this, Bhandari reached out to his nephew, who took the initiative to report the case to the Jyoti Nagar police. Law enforcement has since registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, marking the beginning of an investigation to trace the financial transactions and bank accounts associated with the accused.

Police officials have announced plans to scrutinise the details of the transactions made by Bhandari, along with pursuing leads related to the impersonators. The case highlights the rising concern over cyber-related crimes targeting vulnerable individuals, emphasising the need for increased awareness and protective measures against such financial scams.

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