A cyber fraud involving Rs 30,000 has ensnared Piyush Verma, whose father Manoj Verma once headed Kolkata Police as Commissioner and now serves as a security director. The theft occurred during a Delhi flat hunt, prompting Piyush to file charges at Kolkata’s Cyber Crime unit on February 2.
The scam hinged on a deceptive UPI payment for rent, after which fraudsters drained Piyush’s account illicitly. Kolkata detectives, undaunted by jurisdictional hurdles, zeroed in on Rakesh Pradhan in Odisha, hauling him in for questioning.
Pradhan confessed to his account being used by Delhi accomplices Sanjay and Akshay, exposing a layered fraud scheme. With Pradhan under custody, the manhunt for the primary perpetrators intensifies.
This episode spotlights the rampant UPI scams plaguing India, where money mules facilitate anonymous transfers. In response, Kolkata Police introduced a 24-hour cyber helpline, streamlining grievance redressal amid mounting cases.
Security analysts point to weak KYC in digital banking as a loophole exploited by criminals. They call for AI-driven fraud detection and mandatory two-factor authentications for high-value UPI sends.
Piyush Verma’s victimhood resonates deeply in policing fraternity, prompting renewed commitments to cyber safety. The ongoing probe promises deeper revelations into transnational fraud networks.
Ultimately, this case reinforces the imperative for public awareness: scrutinize every digital transaction, report anomalies promptly, and leverage police helplines to safeguard finances in the digital age.