Pune Cybercriminals Use Fake Arrest Warrant with Nirmala Sitharaman’s Forged Signature to Extort ₹99 Lakh from Retired LIC Officer

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In a shocking cybercrime case from Pune’s Kothrud area, a 62-year-old retired LIC officer was duped into handing over ₹99 lakh after receiving a fake arrest warrant bearing a forged signature of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The incident occurred in the last week of October.Police reports reveal that the victim received an unsolicited call from a man claiming to be a senior official of a “Data Protection Agency.” He warned her that her Aadhaar-linked mobile number was allegedly involved in illegal transactions.

The caller then connected her to another individual named George Mathew, who threatened her with involvement in a money laundering case. To intimidate her further, the fraudsters sent a counterfeit arrest warrant complete with an official-looking stamp and the forged signature of Nirmala Sitharaman.They also warned that due to her age, she would be closely monitored on camera. Under this pretense, she was instructed to transfer money for “verification purposes.”

Fearing legal repercussions, she transferred ₹99 lakh from multiple bank accounts.The victim realized the scam only after the fraudsters switched off their phones, making them unreachable.A case has been registered at Kothrud Police Station, and cybercrime officials are actively investigating. Authorities have urged the public to remain calm if they receive similar calls, verify such claims with local police, and inform family members to prevent falling victim to such frauds.