Bhopal-Based Senior Advocate Duped of ₹78.25 Lakh in Investment Fraud

A Bhopal-based senior advocate has fallen prey to a major investment scam involving ₹78.25 lakh, allegedly orchestrated by unidentified cyber-criminals. The victim, a 52-year-old senior advocate, was initially promised high returns on his investments, which were claimed to be verified and registered with nationalised banks. However, the accounts were fake, and the scammers demanded a payment of ₹65 lakh as a tax fee before releasing the returns, leading the advocate to realize he was duped.

Key Takeaways:

• The victim, a 52-year-old senior advocate, was contacted by a woman named "Suhani Sharma" through Facebook on December 2, 2024, who claimed to be a stock market expert and convinced him to join trading via a mobile app.
• The advocate initially invested ₹75,000 and received a profit of ₹15,642, which strengthened his trust and led him to invest a total of ₹78.25 lakh in multiple accounts.
• The accounts were fake and fraudulently opened, and the scammers demanded a payment of ₹65 lakh as a tax fee before releasing the returns.
• The victim realized he was coned after repeated failed attempts to withdraw his funds and filed a complaint with the Cyber-crime Branch.
• A case was registered, and an investigation is underway to identify and nab the fraudsters involved.

Statistics:

• ₹78.25 lakh: the total amount invested by the victim in the investment scam.
• ₹75,000: the initial amount invested by the victim.
• ₹15,642: the profit received by the victim after the initial investment.
• ₹65 lakh: the tax fee demanded by the scammers before releasing the returns.
• February 15: the date on which the victim lodged a complaint with the Cyber-crime Branch.
• December 2, 2024: the date on which the victim was contacted by "Suhani Sharma" through Facebook.

Sources:

• Times of India: "Bhopal: Senior advocate duped of ₹78.25 lakh in investment fraud"
• Bhopal News: "Cops probe ₹78.25 lakh cyber scam, Bhopal advocate cheated"