Two from Assam's Guwahati arrested for duping industrialist SP Oswal of Rs 7 crore

A gang of fraudsters posing as CBI officers successfully duped Padma Bhushan awardee and textile industrialist SP Oswal of Rs 7 crore. The elaborate scam, which involved a fake online Supreme Court hearing, fake arrest warrants, and a two-day "digital surveillance," was executed.

The incident came to light after Oswal filed a complaint with Ludhiana police on August 31. Following a thorough investigation, authorities arrested two members of the inter-state gang from Guwahati, Assam. The remaining seven suspects are currently being sought by law enforcement agencies across Assam, West Bengal, and Delhi.

The fraudsters, leveraging their digital prowess, threatened Oswal with fake arrest warrants allegedly issued by the Enforcement Directorate. They also presented him with a forged Supreme Court order, instructing him to transfer Rs 7 crore to a fictitious "Secret Supervision Account." To lend credibility to their claims, the scammers staged a fake online Supreme Court hearing, complete with a person impersonating the Chief Justice of India, Justice DY Chandrachud. A fake court order was subsequently shared with Oswal via WhatsApp.

While the perpetrators managed to siphon off a significant portion of the funds, authorities were able to recover Rs 5.25 crore and return it to Oswal's bank accounts. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, this recovery marks the largest of its kind in India for cybercrimes of this nature.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing prevalence and sophistication of cyberattacks, even targeting high-profile individuals. It highlights the urgent need for heightened awareness and robust cybersecurity measures to protect against such fraudulent activities.

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