Pune, 22 September 2025: In a shocking case of deception, a retired bank officer from Pune was cheated of ₹4.06 crore after being promised a massive reward for helping in a so-called secret mission of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The fraud allegedly involved some of his own relatives, making the case even more disturbing.
According to the complaint filed by 53-year-old Suryakant Thorat at the Parvati police station, the accused began the scam in 2019. They convinced Thorat that a relative, Shubham Prabhale, was working for the intelligence agency and had successfully completed a mission for the nation.
They claimed he was about to receive a ₹38 crore reward but needed to pay various “processing charges” such as legal fees, gifts for senior officials, and clearance expenses to release the money.
To gain Thorat’s trust, the accused even staged fake conference calls, pretending to include the Union Home Minister. Believing the story, Thorat made repeated payments between 2020 and 2024, using his own savings and borrowing from acquaintances.
Investigations reveal that the accused carried out high-value bank transfers during this period. Shubham Prabhale allegedly received ₹1.82 crore, while others, including Sunil, Omkar, Prashant, and Bhagyashree Prabhale, received amounts ranging from a few lakhs to over ₹40 lakh. Police have registered a case of cheating and are examining the bank accounts involved, with a forensic audit underway to track the money trail.
The Parvati police have booked all five suspects under relevant sections of fraud and criminal conspiracy.