Nagpur: A 70-year-old retired Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) employee was allegedly cheated of ₹45.20 lakh by cybercriminals posing as police officers in a sophisticated online fraud in Nagpur. The victim, identified as Gopal Mandlik Sonekar, a resident of Mankapur area, was targeted between October 31 and November 4, 2026.
According to the police complaint, the fraudsters contacted him over the phone and falsely claimed that a SIM card had been purchased using his Aadhaar card and was being used to threaten people. They further alleged that suspicious and illegal transactions had been detected in his bank account, creating fear of possible criminal action.
The complainant subsequently received a WhatsApp video call from individuals impersonating police officers. The accused allegedly threatened him with arrest and convinced him that his bank funds needed to be transferred to a designated account for safekeeping and verification. Believing their claims, the elderly man transferred a total of ₹45,20,000 to the account specified by the fraudsters.
The accused reportedly assured him that the transfer was necessary to protect his money and avoid legal consequences. However, the entire operation was allegedly a carefully planned cyber fraud aimed at exploiting the victim's fear of arrest and misuse of his identity.
Following the incident, Sonekar approached the authorities and lodged a complaint with the Nagpur Cyber Police. Based on his statement, a case was registered on November 4, 2026, at approximately 7:38 pm against unidentified individuals linked to the mobile numbers used in the alleged scam. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions relating to cheating, impersonation and forgery, along with Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.
Police have initiated an investigation to trace the accused, identify the beneficiary bank accounts and establish the money trail.
The incident highlights the growing threat of cybercriminals impersonating law enforcement officials to deceive senior citizens into transferring their savings.
