Berhampur University V-C placed under ‘digital arrest’, duped of Rs 14 lakh

Dash received a phone call from someone claiming to be an ED officer; he alleged that she was involved in an ED case as crores of rupees were deposited in a bank account in her name

Berhampur: Berhampur University Vice Chancellor Geetanjali Dash was allegedly defrauded of Rs 14 lakh by a cybercriminal who, impersonated as an ED officer, put her under ‘digital arrest‘, police said here on Tuesday.

Dash had received a phone call on February 12 from someone claiming to be an ED officer. He alleged that she was involved in an ED case as crores of rupees were deposited in a bank account in her name.

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The caller said she was digitally arrested and demanded Rs 14 lakh to release her. She obliged and sent the money to an account mentioned by the fraudster.

A case was registered in the cyber police station here after the Vice-Chancellor lodged a complaint on February 24, said SP (Berhampur) Saravan Vivek.

The SP said that an investigation was going on and the fraudsters involved in the case would be detected soon.

When contacted, the V-C said the caller who was speaking in English also talked about her family. She was told that as a case was going on against her, she needs to empty her bank account for an audit.

To gain her trust, they refunded Rs 80,000 to her account the next day and the remaining amount would be refunded in phases. As the caller became incommunicado later, she understood she had been cheated and lodged an FIR, she said.