In a shocking case of impersonation and extortion, Kushalnagar police arrested five individuals, including a minor, for posing as cyber police officers and duping a local resident of ₹7 lakh.
The accused have been identified as Ibrahim Badsha (25) from Madikeri, Raghavendra B M (19) from Pandavapura, Sangeeta (30) from Bengaluru, Charan C K (19) from Kushalnagar, and a minor boy, according to a press release issued by Kodagu district police.
The case was registered following a complaint from Parashiva Murthy, a resident of Kushalnagar. Murthy reportedly received a call from someone claiming to be an officer from the Periyapatna Cyber Police, accusing him of sending obscene messages to girls on social media. The caller allegedly threatened him with defamation and legal consequences unless he paid ₹7 lakh.
Intimidated by the threat, Murthy transferred the amount. However, suspecting foul play, he later lodged a complaint with the Kushalnagar police on January 11.
Police launched a detailed investigation and successfully traced and apprehended all five suspects involved in the scam. Officials confirmed the arrests in a public release, adding that further inquiry is underway to determine if the gang was involved in similar frauds.