TIRUNELVELI: Cyber crime police in Tirunelveli city have recently registered a case after a 77-year-old retired official of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was cheated of Rs 15 lakh by cyber criminals who threatened him with legal action over alleged usage of his bank account for money laundering.
According to sources, the victim, Ranganathan, received a call on December 27, 2025, from unknown persons claiming that his mobile number had been used for illegal financial transactions. The caller, allegedly posing as Enforcement Directorate officials, pressurised him and warned him of arrest if he failed to co-operate.
Claiming that they would help him avoid legal trouble, the fraudsters allegedly instructed him to transfer money to a specified bank account.
On January 2, 2026, Ranganathan transferred Rs 15 lakh from his nationalised bank account to an unknown person’s account of a private bank. After realising that he had been cheated, Ranganathan lodged a complaint with the Tirunelveli city cybercrime police.
Based on this, a case has been registered under Section 318(4) of BNS and 66D of the Information Technology Act, and further investigations are underway.