Lucknow: In a major breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two conmen from Lucknow for impersonating CBI officers and duping a retired scientist of ₹1.29 crore. The fraud, which involved digital intimidation and cryptocurrency transfers, had sent shockwaves through the cybercrime investigation community.
The Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Pradeep Kumar Singh (50), a resident of Vrindavan Yojana in Lucknow and originally from Bika Pur, Ayodhya.
- Mahfooz (21), a resident of New Basti, River Bank Colony, Wazirganj, Lucknow.
The duo was apprehended near Shaheed Path, close to Ekana Stadium. Police recovered mobile phones, Aadhaar and PAN cards, and crypto wallet documents from their possession.
The Modus Operandi
The victim, Dr. Shukdev Nandi, a retired scientist from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly, was targeted through a WhatsApp call. The accused, posing as CBI officials, threatened him with digital arrest and subjected him to intense psychological pressure for three consecutive days.
Under the guise of legal consequences, they coerced Dr. Nandi into transferring ₹1.29 crore across multiple bank accounts. Following the victim’s complaint, a case was registered at the Bareilly Cyber Crime Police Station, and the STF was roped in for a detailed investigation.
How the Scam Unfolded
During interrogation, Pradeep revealed he is a director of a private firm named Shri Narayani Infra Developer Pvt. Ltd., which maintained a corporate account with ICICI Bank. This account was used to receive the scammed funds before they were distributed across other accounts and crypto wallets.
Pradeep admitted to earning 871 USDT (a cryptocurrency) as commission, transferred via the Binance app. Meanwhile, Mahfooz confessed that he had opened a bank account for the gang and handed over the ATM card and SIM to an accomplice in exchange for a promised cut. His account had already received ₹9 lakh in fraudulent funds.
STF’s Persistent Pursuit
This operation is part of a larger crackdown by the STF. Earlier, on July 5, 2025, four other gang members were arrested in connection with the same racket. Pradeep and Mahfooz had been absconding since then. Using technical surveillance, informant inputs, and digital intelligence tools, the STF tracked their movements and successfully arrested them.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities are now examining the accused’s bank accounts, crypto wallets, and digital devices. The seized electronics will undergo forensic analysis to uncover more details about the scam and identify further gang members.
A case has been filed under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Bareilly. The investigation continues to track the financial trail and expose the full extent of this cyber fraud network.
