Former Aurad MLA Gundappa Vakil has fallen victim to a sophisticated digital fraud, losing a total of Rs 30 lakh in staged transactions. The scam involved impersonation of officials from the CBI, ED, and a judge, ultimately convincing Vakil to transfer the money in phases.
The fraud began on August 12, when a person posing as a CBI officer informed Vakil of his alleged involvement in a money laundering case connected to businessman Naresh Goyal. Threatened with legal consequences, Vakil was coerced into compliance. The following day, another fraudster, impersonating a CBI DCP, claimed that Vakil was under “digital arrest” and insisted on keeping the call ongoing.
The culprits created an online courtroom setup, complete with a fake judge, to instill trust and legitimacy. Under this pressure, Vakil initially transferred Rs 10 lakh after signing an undertaking asserting his innocence. Later, he deposited an additional Rs 20 lakh, believing it was necessary for property investigation, bringing the total amount lost to Rs 30.99 lakh. The fraudsters promised to return the money after the investigation concluded, a promise that never materialized.
Upon realizing he had been deceived, Vakil filed a complaint with the Bangalore CCB Cyber Crime police station. Following his report, an FIR was registered, and authorities have begun investigating the complex digital fraud case. Cybercrime experts have warned the public to remain vigilant against similar scams, emphasizing that fraudsters often use official-sounding identities and sophisticated digital setups to exploit unsuspecting victims.
