Status: Not ApprovedHEAD: 24_Ban_CS_Doctor Duped of Rs 22 Lakh in Matrimonial Scam Byline: H M Chaithanya SwamyDoctor Duped of Rs 22 Lakh in Matrimonial Scam Times News Network Filed by Chaithanya / cleared by Bengaluru: A city-based doctor lost over Rs 22 lakh in a sophisticated matrimonial fraud after being lured into a fake relationship through a popular matchmaking platform. According to the complaint filed by Dr Prema (name changed), a resident of Richards Town, she registered herself on a matrimonial portal on December 20, 2025, and soon got a response from a person identifying himself as Dr Ganesh Barman. He claimed to be an ophthalmologist based in Berlin, Germany. He shared the number +4917614867973 and stated that he was divorced, living in Germany, and his seven-year-old daughter was in a boarding school. He also said he was the only son of his parents, who were in England. He further claimed that he planned to relocate to India by February 2026 to establish a hospital in Delhi. The two communicated through WhatsApp calls and chats. Over time, the accused gained the complainant’s trust by speaking about marriage plans and his ambitious healthcare project in India. The fraud unfolded when the accused claimed that his international bank account suddenly became non-functional while he was transferring funds to agents in India for his proposed hospital project. He then requested Prema to help by transferring money from her bank account to various agents, assuring her that he returned the money once his account issues were resolved. Believing his claims, the complainant transferred large sums from her bank account between January 9 and January 24, 2026, to multiple accounts. As she did not have sufficient funds, she also sought financial assistance from her brother-in-law, who transferred additional amounts from his bank account. After she transferred over Rs 22.2 lakh, the fraudster kept requesting more money. She suspected something fishy and learned that she was being deceived. She called the cyber helpline and stopped further interaction with the fraudster. A case was registered under the Information Technology Act and BNS section 318 (cheating) at the East Cyber Crime police station. ENDS/// MSID:: 128753456 413 |
