The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) personnel rescued an eighty-year-old doctor and his family in Bhadrachalam after they were trapped for three days by cyber fraudsters posing as CBI officers.
The victims were identified as Dr. Buddharaju Subbaraju, 80, who runs Neela Nursing Home, his daughter-in-law and his minor grand-daughter.
Director of TGCSB Shikha Goel said that the offenders contacted Dr Subbaraju on November 20 through WhatsApp video calls, claiming that a bank account opened with his Aadhaar in Mumbai was linked to more than one hundred criminal cases.
“The fraudsters forced the family to stay on continuous video calls and ordered them not to speak to anyone, claiming they were under surveillance,” said the officer.
The gang collected full banking information, including details of deposits and fixed deposits, and even pushed the family to break the FD and prepare to transfer the money.
“When the family stopped attending the hospital, an assistant grew suspicious and questioned them repeatedly before alerting Kothagudem Dy SP Ashok Babu on November 23. The officer, along with Inspector Jitender, reached the residence the same night and cut off contact with the fraudsters, preventing a major loss,” said the officer, adding that a technical investigation is under way.
Police are analysing IP addresses, call routing paths and device identifiers, and are coordinating with service providers and national cybercrime platforms to trace those behind the operation.
Meanwhile, the police urged citizens to stay alert, and reminded that no agency conducts digital arrests or seeks money transfers as part of an investigation. Cyber frauds can be reported to 1930 or through the national cybercrime portal.
Published – November 24, 2025 08:46 pm IST
