Datia jeweller family cheated by fake DIG and professor duo:Accused used forged cases, police intimidation and threats of jail to extort over ₹1 crore

A shocking case of fraud has emerged from Datia, where a retired professor and a man posing as a DIG allegedly extorted ₹1.09 crore from a jewellery trading family over 10 months by threatening them with fake FIRs and police action. The accused reportedly used forged identities, fake documents, and police-style intimidation to pressure the family into paying money under fear of arrest and reputational damage. Dainik Bhaskar’s investigation revealed how old acquaintances, fake influence, and the authority of the uniform were used as weapons for extortion worth crores. Read the report… Old trust misused to build extortion scheme The victims, Arvind Agrawal and his family, are well-known bullion traders. They had a long-standing personal acquaintance with retired professor Ashok Kumar Gupta, which later became the foundation of the fraud. According to the family, Gupta was also close to Arvind’s late brother Rohit Agrawal and had frequently taken money by pledging gold ornaments in the past. This trust was allegedly exploited to execute the scam. Another accused, Manish Kumar Gubrele, reportedly impersonated a senior police officer and used his appearance and behaviour to convincingly pose as a DIG. Fake DIG enters shop with forged documents and FIR threats In October 2024, Manish Kumar allegedly entered the jewellery shop wearing a three-star police uniform and introduced himself as a DIG of the Anti Corruption and Crime Control Force (ACCF). He allegedly showed fake documents, including fabricated complaints and draft FIRs, and claimed that serious allegations of illegal transactions had been filed against the family. The accused threatened that a case could be registered at any time, leading to arrest and humiliation of the entire family. ₹80 lakh extorted from one branch of family Between October 2024 and February 2025, the accused allegedly extorted ₹60 lakh in 10 installments from Arvind Agrawal. The payments ranged from ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh per installment, allegedly made under continuous pressure and fear of legal action. Later, in March 2025, the accused demanded an additional ₹20 lakh to “close the case permanently,” which was also paid. This brought the total extorted amount from this branch of the family to ₹80 lakh. Second generation of family also targeted After exploiting the elder trader, the accused allegedly targeted the next generation. In June 2025, Manish Kumar allegedly posed as an inspector from the Jhansi Anti Corruption Bureau and approached Priyansh Singhal, son of the late Rohit Agrawal. He claimed that 100 grams of gold was pending and threatened legal action, again using intimidation tactics. Between June and August 2025, ₹29.5 lakh was allegedly collected in multiple installments from Priyansh Singhal. Luxury lifestyle used to maintain fake authority image Investigations revealed that the accused used a luxury SUV, a high-end office setup in Jhansi, and police uniform to project the image of a powerful government officer. Locals reportedly believed he was a genuine officer, and even police personnel were allegedly misled by his appearance. Authorities also suspect that extorted money was used to purchase land and luxury vehicles. Breakthrough came after chance meeting at collectorate The scam began to unravel when Priyansh Singhal met Professor Ashok Kumar Gupta at the district collectorate. During the conversation, Gupta denied any involvement with Manish Kumar, raising suspicion. Priyansh then independently investigated and discovered that no such officer was posted in the agencies Manish claimed to represent. Arrest after trap laid by police Following verification, the victims approached police, who planned a trap and called the accused for a money transaction. On June 10, Manish Kumar was arrested when he arrived to collect money. During interrogation, he reportedly attempted to return the entire extorted amount to avoid legal action. Police suspect wider network, further investigation underway Police officials stated that Manish’s Jhansi office was found locked during a raid, and further evidence such as fake seals, documents, and records may be recovered. Investigators are also examining whether more victims exist who were similarly blackmailed but did not come forward due to fear and social stigma. While Manish Kumar is in custody, the retired professor Ashok Kumar Gupta is also under investigation, and authorities are probing whether a larger network was involved in the racket.