In a significant breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Branch of Goa Police has arrested a 25-year-old man from Nashik, Maharashtra, for allegedly duping a victim of ₹2.14 crore through a sophisticated impersonation and intimidation scam.
The accused, identified as Rohan Jhadav, reportedly contacted the victim via WhatsApp on May 30, posing as an official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Jhadav falsely claimed the victim was involved in a money laundering case linked to businessman Naresh Goyal and alleged that several SIM cards had been fraudulently issued using the victim’s Aadhaar number.
Using the threat of a fabricated “digital arrest,” Jhadav coerced the victim into transferring substantial sums of money to evade supposed legal consequences.
A dedicated Goa Police team led by PI Deepak Pednekar, under the supervision of SP Rahul Gupta and ASP Akshat Ayush, tracked the suspect through advanced technical surveillance and financial monitoring, eventually arresting him in Nashik.
Authorities believe Jhadav is part of a larger cybercrime syndicate operating across the country. The investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the network.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid responding to unsolicited calls or messages from individuals claiming to represent government agencies.