Overview

• Retired banker Naresh Malhotra, 78, was confined to a month-long virtual detention from August 4 to September 4 by callers impersonating telecom staff and officers of the Mumbai Police, ED and CBI who used forged orders, threats and frequent video checks.
• Under coercion, Malhotra liquidated investments and transferred about Rs 22.92 crore to multiple accounts after being told the funds were for verification and would be returned.
• The Delhi Police IFSO unit registered an FIR on September 19 and says it has traced and frozen Rs 12.11 crore, with multiple teams pursuing money layered across accounts and withdrawn nationwide.
• In a separate Bengaluru case, Dr. Preethi Sudhakar sent Rs 14 lakh on August 26 to a so-called verification account; police acted within the golden hour via the 1930 helpline, secured a freeze and a court later ordered Yes Bank to return the money.
• Bengaluru Cyber Crime also registered an FIR on September 20 after Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy reported a hoax call from a number spoofed as the Telecom Department on Truecaller that sought her personal data.