[FAKE CJI] ‘Cheating An Elderly Victim Of Rs 1.26 Crore’: 4 Held For Impersonating CJI Chandrachud & CBI Officers

Four men were arrested on Wednesday (Oct 23) by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police for allegedly cheating an elderly victim of Rs 1.26 crore by threatening him with imprisonment over charges of money laundering. Police said that the accused impersonated not just officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but also Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud.The man was then allegedly told since he is a senior citizen and didn’t have any close relatives, they would submit a request in the Supreme Court of India to not arrest him if he aided in the “investigation” over video call from his house.

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GUJARAT: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police arrested four individuals on Wednesday for allegedly cheating an elderly man out of Rs 1.26 crore. The suspects used the tactic of impersonation, pretending to be officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and even the Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, to intimidate the victim with threats of imprisonment over false money laundering charges.

The four accused, identified as Mohammedali Javedali Patawat, Tarunsinh Shyam Vaghela, Brijesh Bharat Parekh, and Shubham Rajkumar Thakar, orchestrated a scheme to swindle the unsuspecting elderly resident of Ahmedabad. According to police reports, the victim was targeted on October 7, when he received a series of calls from the accused, who posed as law enforcement officers and CBI officials.

The fraudsters went to the extent of impersonating the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, to amplify the pressure on the victim, claiming that large sums exceeding Rs 2 crore had been transferred from his bank account.

They further threatened the man with dire legal consequences, stating that he would be arrested for money laundering and could face “five years in prison” if he did not cooperate. The con artists reportedly preyed on his fear by asserting that the arrest was imminent unless he complied with their demands.

As per the police, the perpetrators manipulated the victim by telling him that due to his seniority and the fact that he had no close family members, they would “submit a request in the Supreme Court of India” to prevent his arrest. However, they claimed he needed to cooperate with their so-called “investigation” by participating in video calls from his home.

The frightened victim, believing he was helping authorities in an official investigation, agreed to this suggestion. During the video calls, the scammers deceived the man into sharing sensitive information, including his complete bank account details. They further convinced him to break his fixed deposits and transfer the entire amount of Rs 1.26 crore to their accounts. The fraudsters assured him that the money would be returned to him within “48 hours after due verification.”

In an attempt to further legitimize their deceit, the accused even sent the victim a counterfeit certificate, complete with the official masthead of the Supreme Court of India, to validate their claims of authority. This bold tactic succeeded in fooling the elderly man into transferring the funds, which were subsequently forwarded to other members of their criminal network.

The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police have launched a thorough investigation into the matter, with further inquiries ongoing to uncover additional details about the co-conspirators involved in the scam. Police officials stated,

“They then sent the money forward to their other co-conspirators. Further investigation is underway.”

This case serves as a stark reminder of the increasing complexity and audacity of cybercrime, particularly targeting vulnerable populations such as senior citizens. The authorities are urging people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to avoid falling prey to such elaborate frauds.

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