Retired Railway Employee Duped of ₹23 Lakh in Varanasi

A retired railway employee in Varanasi was allegedly duped of ₹23 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as Crime Branch officials and kept him under so-called “digital arrest” for nearly 24 hours. The victim’s son, a doctor, has lodged an FIR at Sigra police station in connection with the incident.

According to the complaint filed by Dr Chandan Kishor, his father Raghunandan Prasad, a retired railway employee, received a WhatsApp call on December 25, 2025. The caller claimed that a mobile number linked to his Aadhaar card had been used in a money laundering case and that an FIR had been registered in Mumbai. He was told that senior officials would contact him shortly.

Soon after, a video call came from a number displaying a police logo. The caller introduced himself as an officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch and threatened legal action, including jail and heavy fines. The victim was instructed not to speak to anyone during the “investigation” and was warned of serious consequences if he disobeyed.

When Raghunandan Prasad denied any involvement, the fraudsters insisted that he come to Mumbai to submit a written statement. On expressing his inability to travel, he was further intimidated and misled. He was then instructed to transfer all the money from his bank account to another account until the inquiry was completed.

Under pressure and fear, on December 26, the retired employee transferred ₹23 lakh through RTGS to a bank account in Guwahati. The fraud came to light when his son learned about the incident and immediately lodged a complaint on the cyber crime helpline, followed by a written complaint at Sigra police station.

Sigra Station House Officer Sanjay Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He said cyber experts have been roped in to trace the accused and assured that efforts are underway to arrest the fraudsters at the earliest.