Cyber fraudster impersonates Bengaluru cybercrime police, attempts to defraud former SC judge

Police have launched a search for a cyber fraudster, who posed as an officer with the city cybercrime cell, called a former judge of the Supreme Court, attempting to threaten him that a mobile number registered in his name was being misused.

The complaint was received through a post at the Office of the Commissioner of Police by Bharat Parashar, Secretary General of the Supreme Court.

According to the complaint, on January 9, 2026, at around 3.05 p.m., J. Chelameswar, former judge of the Supreme Court of India, got a call. The caller impersonated as an officer from the Bengaluru cybercrime cell and attempted to intimidate him by stating that mobile number registered under his name was being misused in the name of the government.

The complainant has sought identification of the unknown caller and initiation of appropriate legal action against the person involved. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case.

In July last year, the Central Division cybercrime police registered a case against two unidentified cyber fraudsters, who, posed as legal consultants from the Data Protection Board of India, allegedly tried to intimidate Upa Lokayukta K.N. Phaneendra with a fake case, in what seemed to be a possible extortion bid.