CBI judge rejects Nirav Modi’s sister’s plea, says accused can’t dictate probe

A 90-year-old retired district judge in Jaipur, Rajasthan, was allegedly subjected to a “digital arrest” and defrauded of approximately ₹2.5 crore by individuals impersonating Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials, according to police reports. The incident unfolded between late July and early August, culminating in the victim contacting his nephew to report the fraud after noticing discrepancies during a bank transaction. Ganpat Singh Bhandari, the ex-judge, reportedly received a WhatsApp video call on July 28 from an unknown number. The caller, dressed in a police uniform, identified himself as a CBI officer stationed in Mumbai. He informed Bhandari that a ₹50-crore hawala transaction had been detected in Mumbai, with ₹40 lakh of the proceeds allegedly deposited into Bhandari’s State Bank of India (SBI) account. The caller then threatened to arrest Bhandari unless he cooperated with the investigation, warning that failure to comply could result in legal consequences for both him and a family member. Under duress, Bhandari was allegedly pressured to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts. The fraudsters maintained constant communication with him through video calls, alternating between posing as CBI officers and RBI managers. They allegedly instructed Bhandari to delete all chat records and call logs and discouraged him from informing anyone about the situation. Over several days, Bhandari complied with their demands, transferring approximately ₹2.5 crore to the specified accounts between August 3 and August 10. When Bhandari attempted to make a deposit at SBI’s Johri Bazaar branch on Wednesday, the bank manager became suspicious of the unusual transaction. After questioning him and learning the context, the manager halted the transfer and advised Bhandari that the activity appeared to be part of a cyber fraud. This prompted Bhandari to contact his nephew, Ravindra Singh Mohanaut, who then filed a formal complaint with the Jyoti Nagar police station. Police officers confirmed that they received the complaint on Wednesday and recorded Bhandari’s statement. A station house officer, Gunjan Verma, stated that the authorities managed to freeze around ₹14 lakh from the fraudulent transfers. They are currently investigating the remaining amount to determine how the funds were moved and subsequently withdrawn. The police are also scrutinizing the bank accounts involved in the transactions in an effort to identify the perpetrators behind the alleged cyber fraud. Meanwhile, a separate legal matter involving Nirav Modi, a fugitive diamond merchant, highlights the broader issue of digital fraud and the challenges faced by law enforcement in such cases. A Mumbai court recently denied a request by Purvi Modi, Nirav’s sister, to participate in a CBI investigation via video conference. The court emphasized that physical presence was essential for thorough questioning, particularly given the complexity of the case involving extensive documentation and financial records. Nirav Modi, along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, is accused of orchestrating a massive ₹13,850 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB). The scandal, revealed in 2018, involved unauthorized letters of undertaking (LoUs) issued by PNB officials, enabling the duo to secure overseas loans without proper collateral. The total loss to PNB was estimated at ₹6,498 crore, and the case remains ongoing as Modi continues to fight extradition from the United Kingdom.