Bengaluru: The city’s cybercrime police have recovered ₹1.4 million from Preeti Sudhakar, wife of Chikkaballapur BJP MP Dr. K. Sudhakar, who was defrauded by cybercriminals through a ‘digital arrest’. The money deposited in the criminal’s account was successfully recovered by filing a complaint with the National Cybercrime Helpline within an hour (golden hour) of the fraud.
Speaking about this, Bengaluru West Division DCP S. Girish stated that on August 26th at 9:30 a.m., cybercriminals posing as Mumbai Cybercrime Police officers called Preeti and intimidated her into transferring ₹1.4 million from her account.
He explained that the criminals, posing as Mumbai Cybercrime Police officers, threatened her, saying, “Some of your documents have been used by Sadabat Khan to conduct illegal activities in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.” Then, they made a video call via WhatsApp, stating that Sadabat Khan was currently under arrest and needed further questioning.
The DCP explained that the criminals claimed to have her personal documents and asked her to transfer ₹1.4 million to the account they specified, as the account was invalid and required RBI verification. The criminals assured her that they would return the money within 45 minutes of the verification process. Preeti Sudhakar transferred ₹1.4 million to the fraudster’s account via RTGS, unaware of the fraud.
After realizing she had been duped, she immediately filed a complaint with the Bengaluru West Division Cyber Crime Police Station, informing them that she had been defrauded. The Cyber Crime Police immediately registered a complaint with the National Cyber Helpline (1930) through Preeti Sudhakar and froze the funds in the bank account she had been transferred to.
The DCP explained that later, after receiving a court order on September 3, the ₹1.4 million deposited in the fraudster’s account was transferred back to Preeti Sudhakar’s account. He said that the search for the accused is ongoing.
