Punjab ex-DGP duped of Rs 2.5L by cyber thugs

A retired Director General of Police of Punjab, who also had a stint with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), was allegedly duped of Rs 2.5 lakh by cyber thugs posing as CBI officers. An FIR was registered in this regard at the cybercrime east police station.

According to the complaint filed by AP Bhatnagar, he received a phone call from one Sumedh Misra who introduced himself as an official from the Customs Department on August 5. Misra informed Bhatnagar that in December 2023, a parcel was sent from Delhi to Malaysia containing 140 gm of MDMA, 16 fake passports and 58 ATM cards. The caller also provided a parcel ID and transaction ID, saying it was addressed to Wang Zhang of Malaysia.

The fraudster, posing as a customs official, advised Bhatnagar to immediately contact the police station in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi. He was informed that a notorious gang of drug peddlers and human traffickers was active, and Bhatnagar’s name had surfaced as one of the gang members.

“The official then transferred the call to a CBI officer who was supervising the case. The officer introduced himself as Ajit Srivastava, Special Officer, CBI. Upon learning that I was formerly a Director General of Police and had also served in the IB, he my background would be checked and I would be put through interrogation. Liquid assets in my possession worth Rs 2.5 lakhs were deposited to him in an account through Real Time Gross Settlement, with an assurance that those would be returned to me only if I was not found guilty,” the retired DGP said in his complaint. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 420 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.