Retired Bank Employee Loses ₹55.50 Lakh in Online Investment Scam

Dehradun: A retired bank employee from Panditwari was duped of ₹55.50 lakh after falling prey to an online investment scam disguised as a stock market opportunity. The victim, C.L. Agnihotri, approached the cyber police after discovering he had been cheated.

According to police, Agnihotri searched Google on August 19 for stock market information and came across an offer claiming to provide a free demat account with discounted trading. After clicking a link sent by the fraudsters, he was added to a WhatsApp group named 6 SBSBL Community Group, and later to a “VIP” version of the same group. The admins, identified as Amit Vinayak Ghag and Nidhi Choukhani, regularly shared stock market tips to gain his trust.

The fraudsters convinced him to open a demat account using his wife’s Aadhaar card and instructed him to download an app. They then pressured him to deposit ₹1 lakh as an initial investment. Between September 10 and the following weeks, Agnihotri deposited a total of ₹55.50 lakh into various accounts as directed.

When he tried to withdraw his funds, the scammers demanded an additional ₹21 lakh, raising suspicion. Realizing he had been trapped in a fraud, the victim filed a complaint at the cyber police station.

Police have initiated an investigation and warned the public to avoid investment offers found through unverified online sources.