Nagpur: A 65-year-old retired bank employee from Manish Nagar allegedly lost ₹75.21 lakh after falling victim to a fraudulent share-trading investment scheme operated through a WhatsApp group. The Nagpur Cyber Police have registered a case against unidentified accused in connection with the alleged fraud.

The complainant, Sanjay Deorao Chandankhede (65) and his wife hold a joint account with Union Bank of India.

Between June 12 and August 14, 2026, the accused allegedly sent Chandankhede a WhatsApp link bearing the name “66188 Elite Growth Farm” and added him to a WhatsApp group. The group reportedly had around 135 members.

The accused allegedly told Chandankhede through the group that it was meant for share trading and investment, and claimed that members could earn substantial profits by investing money through the platform.

Convinced by the claims, Chandankhede allegedly transferred different amounts on multiple occasions towards the purported investment. The total amount he paid reached ₹75.21 lakh.

However, the promised profits were allegedly never credited to him. When he sought the return of his invested money, the accused allegedly failed to refund the amount, leading him to realise that he had been cheated.

Following an inquiry into the application submitted by Chandankhede, the Cyber Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act, along with cheating provisions.

Police are investigating the transactions and attempting to identify the persons behind the WhatsApp group and trace the money transferred by the victim.