Jhalawar Police Arrest Six in Bihar Over Old Coin Scam and AI Blackmail Linked to Woman's Death

Police in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, have arrested six members of a cyber fraud gang in Bihar over the death of a 56-year-old local woman. Police allege the gang extorted her and drove her to suicide. The gang first offered to buy her old coins, then sent AI-generated photos and videos on WhatsApp to frighten her into paying more. Four of those arrested are women, and two boys and a girl were also detained.

From coin ad to threats

The PTI-Bhasha report says the gang ran social media ads offering lakhs of rupees for rare old coins and notes. Posing as an old coin company, it won her trust with small payments, then kept asking for money on one pretext after another.

When she wanted her money back, the messages turned to threats. Patrika describes a 30-second video of two policemen beating a young man and a voice note warning what happens to people who cheat the company. Then came a fake hospital bill for a car accident that never happened, an AI image of Jhalawar police station with bundles of ₹500 notes on a desk, and a notice on Delhi Police letterhead claiming ₹5.5 lakh had been seized in her name. The gang also threatened to frame her son in a serious case.

Following the money to Bihar

Her daughter's complaint led to a case at Kotwali police station on 1 November; extortion, cheating and IT Act charges were added later. A special team under Superintendent Amit Kumar traced payments into mule accounts, including ₹2,36,715 sent in 64 transactions to one Punjab National Bank account. Those accounts already had complaints on the national cybercrime portal from other victims.

With Bihar police, the team raided addresses in Saharsa, Madhepura and Khagaria districts on 6 November and seized phones. The accused were brought to Jhalawar on transit remand.

How much she lost is unclear: reports range from "lakhs" to about ₹13 lakh.

What Rajasthan police advise

Police told the public to ignore ads promising large sums for old coins or notes, and never to pay a registration fee, GST, courier or legal fee, or "RBI approval" charge to sell them. They asked victims to call the national cyber helpline, 1930.