02-07-2025
Rs 3.72 Crore Deposited, Rs 3.33 Crore Withdrawn The Same Day: Delhi Ghost Flat Mystery
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The bank said 1,960 transactions took place on August 8, 2024. When the balance fell to Rs 38 lakh, it finally froze debits — but not before Rs 3.33 crore had vanished
A seemingly abandoned flat in Delhi's Trilokpuri, once marked by a mysterious blue board, has emerged as the centrepiece of a major cyber fraud investigation that has left police and bank officials scrambling for answers. The flat was linked to a bogus account under the name 'Jeevika Foundation', which saw an unexplained deposit of Rs 3.72 crore in a single day—most of which vanished within hours through nearly 2,000 transactions.
According to The Indian Express, the account was opened in 2023 at HDFC's Karol Bagh branch with a deposit of just Rs 500. Investigators found the balance stood at Rs 556 before the sudden multi-crore deposit on August 8, 2024. Shockingly, Rs 3.33 crore was withdrawn the same day—without triggering any red flags.
The bank claims the KYC process was duly completed during the account opening, yet the sudden influx of such a large amount remains unexplained. The fraudulent activity extended to a staggering 1960 transactions in one day on August 8, 2024.
According to the report, retired IAF officer Biren Yadav, aged 78, fell prey to the cyber criminals on that day and was apparently kept under 'digital arrest'. They initially coerced him into depositing Rs 42.5 lakh, then further extorted Rs 1.59 crore, distributing the funds into various 'mule accounts' across four banks.
The 'Jeevika Foundation' appears to be non-existent, with investigations now spanning six states to trace the mule accounts linked to 'Jeevika'. These accounts have connections with multiple fraud cases nationwide, including cities like Gurugram, Hyderabad, Manipal, Chennai, and Kolkata. The police said that only one Facebook page mentioned a person named Dr. Amarendra Jha, who initially claimed to have an office in Trilokpuri but later denied it. The search continues for more such linked accounts.
HDFC bank officials confirmed police inquiries from two states but withheld further details citing ongoing court proceedings. The investigation revealed that when the account balance dwindled to Rs 38 lakh, the bank finally froze debits.
First Published:
July 02, 2025, 11:20 IST
