In a troubling incident, a woman government executive engineer in Bengaluru was swindled out of ₹80,000 by a man impersonating an assistant to Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge. The accused, identified as Raghunandan, contacted the engineer, Kavya, on October 14, promising assistance in securing a long-pending job posting. Initially demanding ₹2 lakh, he later extorted ₹80,000 under threats.
Dr. Nagraj, a special officer assigned to Kharge, lodged a complaint with the Vidhana Soudha police, which has since been registered under various sections including personating a public servant and cheating. While the suspect remains at large, police have indicated they are close to apprehending him. Priyank Kharge’s office has alerted authorities about the rising number of fraud cases involving impersonators.
Rising Fraud Cases in Karnataka
This incident highlights a disturbing trend of fraud in Karnataka, as many individuals fall victim to similar scams. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised awareness about such fraudulent activities, urging the public to be vigilant against individuals posing as government officials to exploit unsuspecting victims.
A recent report from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) reveals significant financial losses in various scams across India, with ₹1,420.48 crore lost in trading scams, ₹222.58 crore in investment scams, and ₹13.23 crore in romance scams in 2024 alone. Complaints have surged over the years, with over 7.4 lakh complaints registered in just the first four months of 2024.
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