“Accused Nabbed Days After Elderly Couple Dies by Suicide Over Cyber Fraud”
Gujarat man held for cheating Belagavi couple of ₹50 lakh by impersonating a CBI officer; victims had died by suicide after being duped by cyber scam.
Police have detained Surat-based Chirag Jeevarajbhai Lakkad in relation to a cyber scam which resulted in the suicide of an old couple in Karnataka’s Belagavi. The couple lost ₹50 lakh to conmen claiming to be officials.
Bengaluru, April 16 – In a major breakthrough, police have arrested the main accused in a cyber fraud case that resulted in the suicide of an elderly couple in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. The accused, Chirag Jeevarajbhai Lakkad, was arrested from Surat, Gujarat, just under a month after he and his accomplices allegedly cheated the couple of almost ₹50 lakh.
Lakkad was tracked and apprehended by the Cyber, Economic and Narcotics Crime Police officials following an extensive investigation that ensued after the highly disturbing incident.
As per officials, the scammers, including Lakkad, presented themselves as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and telecom authorities, making video calls to the victims and threatening them with legal action over a non-existent misuse of SIM card. Lakkad is said to have got ₹6 lakh credited directly into his account, while the rest was shared among different bank accounts associated with the scam.
A Tragic End to a Deceptive Scam
On March 27, 82-year-old Diogjeron Santan Nazareth and his 79-year-old wife Flaviana were discovered dead at their residence in Khanapur, Belagavi. A two-page handwritten suicide letter found on the scene brought to light the emotional and financial struggles the couple had faced.
In the letter, Diogjeron explained how he was called by one Sumit Birra, who identified himself as an official of the telecom department. Birra alleged that he possessed a fake SIM card for harassment and passed on the call to Anil Yadav, who posed as belonging to the Crime Branch. The arrest and seizure threats prompted Diogjeron to transfer more than ₹50 lakh to the scammers.
The letter also disclosed that Diogjeron had availed a loan of ₹7.15 lakh against gold and borrowed some more money from friends, feeling guilty about the financial load and asking his wife’s gold jewelry to be sold to pay off the loan. In a last act of sacrifice, he asked their bodies to be donated to a medical college for instructional purposes.
Legal Action Underway
Chirag Lakkad has been arrested under sections related to online fraud and abetment to suicide. Authorities are continuing the investigation to track down the remaining members of the cybercrime ring.
“This case is a grim reminder of the emotional toll and devastating impact cybercrime can have, especially on the elderly,” said a senior investigating officer. “We are committed to bringing all involved to justice.”
Police are calling on the public, especially elderly citizens, to be
