A 32-year-old resident of Madhavpura in Ahmedabad has filed a complaint alleging that he was duped of Rs 45,000 by an unidentified caller who demanded money under the pretext of securing parole for his jailed cousin. The complaint was lodged with the Madhavpura police on Thursday by Suresh Patani, who resides near Idgah Circle.
Details of the complaint
According to the complaint, Suresh Patani's uncle's son, Anilbhai, is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail in connection with a case registered at Nikol police station. Another cousin is out on bail. The family had approached the court seeking parole for Anilbhai.
In February, Suresh received a call from an unknown mobile number. The caller spoke in Hindi, introduced himself, and claimed to be calling from the central jail. He informed Suresh that his cousin's 15-day parole had been approved and demanded Rs 15,000. The caller also promised to send a receipt for the payment and insisted that the money be transferred immediately, warning that the parole would be cancelled otherwise.
How the fraud unfolded
Suresh stated that he was asked to transfer the amount to a mobile number. Since he was unable to make the payment online, his cousin Ajay transferred Rs 15,000 digitally. Later, the caller demanded an additional Rs 2,000 as lawyer fees, which Ajay also transferred.
The next day, on February 19, another Rs 28,000 was allegedly automatically deducted from Ajay's online bank account, bringing the total loss to Rs 45,000. The complainant said the matter was first reported to the cybercrime helpline 1930, and a formal complaint was eventually registered with Madhavpura police on Thursday.
Police investigation underway
Authorities have registered a case and are investigating the incident. They are tracing the mobile number used by the fraudster and the bank accounts where the money was transferred. Police have warned citizens to be cautious of such calls and to verify any claims regarding parole or legal matters directly with the concerned authorities.
