Daijiworld Media Network- Jabalpur
Jabalpur, Jun 20: In a chilling case of cyber fraud that has left a family devastated and a woman psychologically scarred, a 36-year-old ASHA worker from Jabalpur became the victim of an elaborate international scam that promised diamonds, gold, and a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh. What began with a simple phone call ended in a horrifying one-and-a-half-month ordeal, with the woman losing not just Rs 4 lakh, but her mental stability and peace of mind.
Pushpalata Jharia, a dedicated health worker in the Bargi police station limits, was known for her commitment to villagers’ welfare. But in March, she received a call from a foreign number claiming she had won a grand lottery. Lured by dreams of sudden fortune and manipulated by emotional threats, she was coerced into transferring money repeatedly under the guise of "processing fees" and legal troubles.
The fraudsters escalated the pressure by claiming a courier carrying her lottery reward had been seized, implicating her with the use of her Aadhaar card. The fear of arrest and blind hope of riches led her to borrow money from relatives and even lie to her family, insisting on secrecy.
On April 26, Pushpalata left her maternal home, allegedly to return to Bargi. Instead, she disappeared, embarking on a harrowing journey across Jabalpur, Mumbai, Surat, and Delhi — constantly sending money to the scammers and surviving on charity meals and borrowed phones. In June, the criminals forced her to record a video, crying and begging for help, which they sent to her husband along with a demand for Rs 2 lakh ransom, threatening her life.
Her disappearance led her family to file a habeas corpus plea in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. On the court’s directions, four police teams were deployed. A breakthrough came when Pushpalata made a call from a phone in Greater Noida. She was rescued by police on a lonely Monday afternoon — frail, terrified, and still believing in the lies spun by her tormentors.
"She was trembling and mentally disoriented when we found her," said CSP Anjul Mishra of Bargi, who led the investigation. "Even now, she insists that a reward is coming her way. She’s under counselling, and we are trying to bring her back to reality."
Pushpalata’s family is devastated. “We didn’t even have enough to eat. Yet she kept asking people for money, saying it was for a relative,” said Asha Jharia, her sister-in-law.
Investigations have revealed that the scam was operated using foreign IP addresses. Efforts are underway to trace the cyber trail, but cooperation from overseas agencies remains a challenge.
This tragic case is a stark reminder of how vulnerable individuals, especially those with limited digital awareness, can fall prey to international fraud syndicates — often with irreversible consequences.