Mumbai Cyber Fraud: 78-Year-Old Mulund Resident Duped Of ₹1.16 Crore In 'Digital Arrest' Scam; Case Registered

Mumbai, Feb 26: A 78-year-old Mulund resident was allegedly cheated of ₹1.16 crore by cyber fraudsters who posed as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and threatened him with arrest in a fake money-laundering case linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.

Fraudsters posed as CBI officers

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The victim, Thomas Mathew Pulikkotil (78), a retired director of a fabrication chemical company and resident of Mulund (West), lives with his wife, Telsa (72). According to his complaint, the incident occurred between December 26, 2025, and February 24, 2026.

Pulikkotil stated that on December 26, 2025, at around 9 am, he received a WhatsApp call on his mobile phone from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as “Vijay Khanna,” claiming to be a CBI officer investigating a money-laundering case involving Jet Airways promoter Naresh Goyal.

The caller falsely informed Pulikkotil that a bank account had been opened in his name at Canara Bank and that it had been used in a ₹2-crore money-laundering transaction. He was told that he would be arrested unless he cooperated with the investigation.

The fraudster then introduced other alleged “CBI officers,” identified as Pradeep Sawant, Rajesh, and Ravikumar, who contacted the victim from different mobile numbers, including international numbers. The accused also sent forged documents bearing the CBI name and logo via WhatsApp to make their claims appear legitimate.

₹1.16 crore transferred under threat

The victim was instructed to deposit 80 per cent of the alleged fraudulent amount as a “security deposit” and was warned to maintain strict confidentiality. Out of fear of arrest and threats to his life, Pulikkotil and his wife transferred large sums of money from their HDFC Bank accounts in Mulund to multiple bank accounts provided by the accused.

According to the complaint, Pulikkotil transferred ₹1,01,30,000 from his account and an additional amount from his wife’s account, taking the total to ₹1,16,20,000. He also sold one of his flats and transferred the proceeds to the accounts provided by the fraudsters.

After repeatedly asking for his money to be returned, the accused allegedly demanded more funds, which raised suspicion. Pulikkotil then realised he had been cheated and filed an online complaint on the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) on February 25, 2026. The complaint was registered under acknowledgement number 31902260042239.

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Based on his complaint, a case has been registered at the East Region Cyber Police Station in Mumbai. Police said the accused impersonated CBI officers, used forged documents, criminal intimidation, and electronic communication to extort money from the victim. Further investigation is underway to trace the accused and identify the beneficiary bank account holders involved in the fraud.

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