A Lucknow resident’s seemingly harmless WhatsApp friendship turned into a massive cybercrime, leaving him cheated of ₹1.92 crore. The cybercrime police have arrested a 34-year-old man who allegedly posed as a woman to lure the victim into fake investment schemes.

How the Trap Was Laid

According to police, the victim, Shalabh Pandey, was contacted on WhatsApp by someone identifying herself as Bhavika Shetty. What began as casual conversations and phone calls soon developed into trust. Over time, the accused convinced Pandey to invest large sums of money by promising unusually high returns through purported investment opportunities.

Between chats and calls, Pandey was persuaded to transfer ₹1,92,92,000 into multiple bank accounts. When the promised returns never materialised and communication became suspicious, he realised he had been defrauded and approached the cybercrime police on June 2, 2025.

Arrest and Legal Action

Following an investigation, police arrested Imran Ghazi, a resident of the Mishripur Depot area under Gudamba police station limits. An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating by personation using computer resources.

During interrogation, Ghazi allegedly confessed that after his original bank account was frozen, he obtained forged Aadhaar and PAN cards to open several new accounts. These accounts were reportedly opened with the help of an associate named Shehzad, whose full identity is still being verified.

Money Trail and Ongoing Probe

Police revealed that ₹54 lakh of the cheated amount was directly routed through Ghazi’s accounts. Bank analysis showed transactions worth nearly ₹1.52 crore within a single month. Fake identity documents were recovered from his possession, and investigators believe more people may be involved in the racket.

“The victim was induced to transfer a total of ₹1,92,92,000 into multiple bank accounts. Later, it emerged that the entire operation was a cyber fraud,” a senior police officer said.

Police Warning

Authorities have cautioned citizens to remain alert while interacting with unknown contacts online and to be wary of investment offers promising unrealistically high returns. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the cyber fraud network.

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