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Pune Woman Duped of ₹42 Lakh by Fake ‘ISRO Scientist’ as Police Recover Part of Sum

Investigators report recovering ₹16.64 lakh through the Cyber Crime Portal.

Overview

  • The Wakad police registered an FIR on February 28 after a 30-year-old IT professional reported being cheated through a Jeevansathi.com profile claiming ISRO credentials.
  • Police say the fraud occurred between November 27, 2024, and January 30, 2025, with transfers totaling about ₹42.64 lakh on pretexts such as job training and a stuck salary.
  • Roughly ₹27 lakh remains unrecovered, and the case has been filed under BNS sections 318(4), 319(2) and IT Act section 66D.
  • Reports differ on the suspect’s custody status, with one account citing a recent Rabale arrest and others stating the accused in the Pune case is still being traced.
  • In a separate Mumbai probe, Dahisar cyber police arrested Viraj Bala Saheb Bhonsale in Virar for allegedly duping multiple women via matrimonial platforms, with potential losses running into crores.