A retired Indian Forest Officer (IFS) lost ₹6.58 crore to online fraudsters who cheated him on the pretext of investing in an online share trade, the police said.
K. Kaushal, a former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), who retired in July 2024, lost the money to scammers who lured him with fraudulent share trading apps. He had transferred his life savings, retirement benefits, and proceeds from the sale of his house after being deceived by promises of high returns from bogus investment schemes.
The complainant said he first received WhatsApp messages in December 2024, offering lucrative returns on his investments. Following the advice of so-called ‘customer service executives’, he downloaded two apps. From the start of 2025, Mr. Kaushal transferred a total of ₹6.58 crore to the fraudsters’ bank accounts, believing he was making legitimate investments. Subsequently, he realised that he had been cheated. The police registered a complaint following his complaint and launched an investigation to trace the suspects.
Published – March 06, 2025 09:43 pm IST