A 24-year-old man from Gurugram, identified as Alok K, has been arrested by the Bangur Nagar police in Mumbai for allegedly defrauding a management student of Rs 24.6 lakh. The accused reportedly drew inspiration from a web series centered on cybercrime. Posing as a student counsellor, he threatened the victim with severe consequences, claiming that failure to pay would result in being debarred and jeopardizing the victim’s career prospects.
The student transferred him Rs 24.6 lakh in installments. But Alok refunded him only Rs 1.15 lakh. He was arrested on Sept 11.
Upon arrest, Alok told the police that he was inspired by the antagonist on the OTT show ‘Pritam and Pedro’ and had planned to use social engineering and impersonation to deceive the victim. Police said Alok used to previously work at a call centre that had been contracted by the management institute to coordinate with all students regarding admissions and counselling. He also intended to erase his digital footprint. When the student passed the exam but Alok continued to demand money, the student realized he had been taken for a ride. Police surveilled Alok’s phone records and the money trail before tracking his location to Gurugram. He got the victim’s phone number from the call centre’s database and targeted him. Police have seized two cellphones from him.
He then confided in his parents and they lodged a complaint at the Bangur Nagar police station earlier this month.
Victim Enrolled in MBA Program Prior to Incident
The victim, a 21-year-old male, registered for a distance-learning MBA program specializing in finance at a well-known management institute in January 2026. He paid an annual fee of Rs 1.12 lakh for his admission and was subsequently assigned a seat by the institute.