9 PM | ETV Telugu News | 29th September 2020

Even those wearing badges can make mistakes in the complex dance between deceit and trust. Jagdish Singh Patani, the retired Deputy Superintendent of Police and father of Disha Patani, was recently unwittingly involved in a scam that cost him an incredible ₹25 lakh. He was led down a path that proved to be more of a mirage than a professional opportunity after being promised a coveted job within a government commission by a bunch of con artists. Armed with fictitious contacts and charming charm, the con artists were able to defraud him of his money by pretending to be influential in politics.

When Jagdish was introduced to the con artists by a friend who said they could get him a high-level position, the narrative became more complicated. He gave them ₹25 lakh, ₹5 lakh in cash and ₹20 lakh by bank transfer, believing their promises. However, Jagdish’s patience wore thin after waiting for his promised post for three months. They offered to return his money with interest when he challenged them about the lack of progress, but when he pressed for reimbursement, they quickly turned to threats. It seemed that their only expertise was intimidation.

Jagdish took action and informed the police about the situation after feeling trapped and recognizing he had been caught in a web of lies. Five scammers were named in the FIR, some of whose names sound more like they belong in a crime movie than in real life. In an effort to apprehend these elusive scammers before they can commit another financial heist, the police are currently searching for them. The irony of a retired police officer falling for scammers while pursuing a formal government job makes one laugh as this story progresses.

Maybe the next time, rather than pursuing high-level positions in government commissions, he ought to think about teaching people how to avoid scams-after all, there are plenty of people willing to learn!