Ludhiana Man Duped of ₹7 Crore in Cyber Fraud Using Fake SC Hearings, Documents

In a shocking case of cybercrime, fraudsters impersonating top government officials and forging Supreme Court documents defrauded a Ludhiana resident of ₹7 crore. The criminals went to extreme lengths, staging a virtual court hearing while impersonating the then Chief Justice of India, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, to coerce the victim into transferring the funds.

The matter recently came before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu’s Bench heard a bail plea filed by one of the accused. According to the FIR registered at the Cyber Crime police station in Ludhiana, the complainant was tricked into believing he was under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The fraud began on August 27, 2024, when the complainant received a call from a person claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), warning him that his mobile number would be disconnected. From there, the scammers escalated their scheme, impersonating CBI and ED officials and fabricating official documents to convince the victim of an impending arrest.

In a shocking revelation, the court was informed that the fraudsters staged a fake virtual Supreme Court hearing, in which they impersonated Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. They used forged Supreme Court and ED documents, including a fake arrest warrant, to pressure the victim into transferring ₹7 crore to specific bank accounts.

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Justice Sindhu, while going through the case documents, remarked:
“It categorically shows that the petitioner and other co-accused have cheated the complainant to the extent of ₹7 crore and also forged the Supreme Court order. Besides, a suspicious arrest order allegedly issued by the ED was also exhibited before the complainant to intimidate him into remitting the amount.”

The court noted the shocking rise of cyber fraud cases in India. Quoting Reserve Bank of India (RBI) statistics, Justice Sindhu pointed out that between FY 2020 and FY 2024, India had 5.82 lakh cases of cyber fraud amounting to financial losses to the tune of ₹3,207 crore.

The probe is still under way, and the authorities are trying to track down all the people involved in the sophisticated cyber fraud. In the meantime, the High Court is still considering the bail application of the accused while stressing the necessity of taking tougher steps to fight cyber fraud.

This case has once again underscored the growing sophistication of cybercrime in India, where fraudsters are now forging legal documents, impersonating senior officials, and even staging fake court proceedings. Authorities have urged citizens to remain cautious and verify any legal or financial threats through official channels before taking action.