KOCHI: An attempt by a north Indian gang to extort money by making music director Jerry Amaldev believe that he was 'virtually arrested' has been foiled by the bank manager and the police. The incident happened last week. The gang, which introduced themselves as CBI officials, tried to extort Rs 2.7 lakh.

Federal Bank's Pachalam branch office has witnessed dramatic events ever since Jerry Amaldev received a message asking him to transfer Rs 2.7 lakh from his account to another current account immediately. Jerry Amaldev reached the branch office by talking to the fraudsters over the headphones. Bank manager S. Sajinamol felt suspicious of his behaviour. When Sajinamol said they can proceed with further action once Jerry disconnected the call, Jerry said he can't. Sajinamol then wrote on a paper that this must be a scam.

Jerry was determined to hand over the money. The manager was shocked when she checked the account number given by the fraudsters. It was an account named 'Janata Seva' at the SBI branch in Delhi's Mukhyanagar. Sajina then informed her friend Anoop Chacko, principal SI of Ernakulam Central station. The SI sensed danger as soon as he heard the news.

The SI, who spoke to Jerry Amaldev, convinced him that the central investigating agencies would never call him on a video call or a WhatsApp call to arrest him and saved him from the fraud.

Widespread fraud

Scams are rampant in the name of central investigating agencies. More than Rs 15 crore was recently siphoned off in four cases in Kochi alone. A 71-year-old man had lost Rs 70 lakh the other day.

After the incident, I went to meet Jerry Amaldev at his house. He was happy to have escaped the scam. He thanked us.

- Sajinamol