Hyderabad, Telangana: In a troubling case of financial fraud, a 92-year-old retired doctor, formerly the superintendent of Niloufer Hospital and the widow of a Lieutenant Colonel, was allegedly cheated out of ₹21 lakh by a fraudster posing as an insurance agent. The incident occurred in Banjara Hills, one of Hyderabad’s most upscale residential areas.
Modus Operandi
According to the doctor’s complaint:
- The 39-year-old accused, claiming to be a Reliance Nippon Life Insurance agent, visited her home multiple times.
- He presented professional-looking ID cards and business credentials, gaining the doctor’s trust.
- Under the guise of facilitating policy renewals and maturity payouts, he requested a cancelled cheque.
- The doctor, living alone while her children reside in the UK, complied, unaware of his intentions.
Subsequently, it was discovered that 11 stolen and forged cheques were used to siphon ₹32 lakh from two bank accounts, although the doctor ultimately reported a confirmed loss of ₹21 lakh.
Fraud Unfolds
- The cheques did not bear her genuine signature, but the accused managed to clear the amounts by allegedly manipulating transactions and banking protocols.
- The doctor grew suspicious after noticing irregularities in her bank statements and alerted her office manager, who assisted in investigating the fraud.
Police Action & Accused’s Admission
- A complaint was lodged with Banjara Hills Police.
- A case was filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections:
- 336(3): Forgery for the purpose of cheating
- 316(2): Criminal breach of trust
- 318(4): Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property
- On confrontation, the accused confessed and initially agreed to return the stolen amount in instalments.
- He has returned ₹11 lakh, but has since defaulted and become untraceable.
Funds Traced
- Police say the accused transferred stolen funds into multiple smaller accounts before consolidating them.
- Some of the embezzled money was likely used to purchase land, while the remainder is suspected to have been spent.
Community Impact
This incident adds to a growing list of financial scams targeting elderly doctors. Similar cases have been reported across India, including:
- An AIIMS Raipur doctor duped of ₹46 lakh through a matrimonial website scam.
- An 82-year-old doctor conned out of ₹1.2 crore in a digital arrest scam.
