In a significant breakthrough, the Belagavi district police arrested a key accused from Surat, Gujarat, in connection with a cyber fraud case that led to the tragic suicide of an elderly couple in Beedi village of Khanapur taluk.
The accused, Chirag Jeevarajbhai Lakkad, a resident of Surat, was apprehended after an intensive investigation and remanded to judicial custody. A case has been registered at the Nandgad Police Station.
The incident involves the death of Diego Nazareth (83), a retired railway employee, and his wife, Flavia Nazareth (78), who lived in Beedi village. On March 27, Flavia consumed sleeping pills, while Diego ended his life by slashing his neck and jumping into a water tank.
A suicide note found at their residence revealed that the couple was being extorted and harassed by cyber fraudsters, who claimed to be officials from the Delhi Crime Branch. One of the imposters, identifying himself as “Anil Yadav,” had threatened the couple with legal action, alleging that obscene content had been shared from Diego’s mobile number.
Terrified and desperate, Diego transferred more than ₹59 lakh to multiple bank accounts as demanded by the fraudsters. Even after the payments, the threats did not stop, pushing the couple to take the extreme step.
During the investigation, police uncovered a ₹6.10 lakh RTGS transaction from Diego’s SBI account to an IDFC Bank account under the name ‘Balaji Industries’, based in Rajkot. The trail led to a mobile number linked to this fraudulent account, eventually pointing investigators to Chirag Lakkad.
According to Veeresh Doddamani, senior officer from the Cyber Crime Branch, the accused used a SIM card registered in the name of Balaji Industries to facilitate these frauds. Shockingly, the cybercriminals were in video contact with the couple for up to 10 hours, coercing them into transferring funds through Paytm, PhonePe, and other platforms to as many as 21 different bank accounts.
The accused reportedly switched his phone off during key transactions to avoid detection. The police also recovered two mobile phones used in executing the fraud.
District Superintendent of Police Dr Bhimashankar Guled confirmed the arrest and stated that the investigation is ongoing to identify and nab other accomplices involved in the case.
The tragic incident highlights the alarming rise in cyber fraud cases targeting the elderly and the urgent need for stronger awareness and digital vigilance.