Indore (Madhya Pradesh): City crime branch on Saturday returned the full amount of Rs 2.56 lakh to a ‘digital arrest’ victim, who was duped by conmen of the amount on the pretext of investigation after finding MD drugs in his parcel. The victim thanked the crime branch officials after receiving money in the bank account.

Additional DCP (crime) Rajesh Dandotiya informed Free Press that the scammers had targeted Dr Dramil Thakkar, who works in a company in Pithampur, a few days ago. He had received a call from an unidentified number and the caller posing as an officer of Mumbai Customs had informed that MD drugs were found in his parcel being sent abroad.

When the complainant denied sending any parcel, the accused informed that his Aadhaar car was also found in the parcel and later the accused transferred the call to another person, who posed as an officer from the Mumbai crime branch.

The conmen later talked with him on a video call and informed him that there has been illegal activity in his bank account and an investigation is underway into the case. He got the complainant to apply for an instant loan of Rs 2.56 lakh from a bank by sharing the screen on the video call. The complainant had said that he doesn’t need a loan and why is he receiving messages related to the loan.

Then, the fraudman informed him to focus on the crime that he had committed. The conman later received Rs 2.56 lakh from the complainant in two bank accounts on the pretext of an investigation into the case. After receiving money, the conman stopped communication and the complainant realised that he had become an online fraud victim and lodged a complaint about the same on the NCRP portal.

The crime branch started an investigation and managed to return all the Rs 2.56 lakh to the victim’s bank account after receiving an order from a local court. The complainant reached the crime branch office and he thanked the officer after receiving the money.