New Delhi: A senior official from the Union Health Ministry has reportedly been defrauded of ₹27 lakh after being lured into a bogus currency market investment scheme, according to the Delhi Police.
Officials said the incident dates back to July 2023, when the victim was approached by an individual who promised to invest and trade the amount in the currency market, with assurances of doubling the investment within a year. Trusting the proposal, the official transferred ₹27 lakh to the accused.
“The complainant stated that the accused claimed he was actively investing and trading in the currency market and promised to return double the principal amount within a year. Based on these assurances, the victim agreed to invest the sum,” a police spokesperson said.
Following the complaint, a case was registered on August 11 at the Cyber Police Station in the South District under Sections 308, 318(4), 319, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
In a separate cyber crime crackdown, Delhi Police arrested three men—including a London School of Economics graduate—on August 17 for their alleged involvement in an international cyber-extortion racket.
The accused reportedly used international WhatsApp calls and cryptocurrency payment methods to extort money. Posing as associates of a notorious gangster, the suspects allegedly issued threats to victims, including warnings of harm to their families.
The case came to light when a complainant at PS DBG Road reported receiving a threatening call from a foreign number. The caller introduced himself as a gangster, demanded money, and sent a cryptocurrency QR code for payment. The threats escalated with warnings that the complainant’s children would be shot if the demands were not met.
An FIR was registered under Section 308(4) BNS at PS DBG Road, and a joint operation by PS DBG Road and the Cyber Unit of the Central District led to the arrest of the trio upon their return from Thailand.
