RAWALPINDI: The Cyber Crime Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday arrested a suspect involved in extorting money from a lady doctor on the pretext of getting her a work visa abroad, said a senior official.

The lady doctor, a resident of sector F-7/2, lodged a complaint with the FIA’s Cyber Crime saying that the accused Badar Shahzad, in connivance with co-accused Babar Shahzad, residents of Attock and Usman Rasheed Malik alias Osama Bashir Shahzad, resident of Azad Jammu Kashmir with ulterior motives and fraudulent intentions illegally and transmitted baseless and misleading information to the complainant.

A case was registered against the accused Babar Shehzad, Badr Shehzad and Usman Rashid Malik alias Osama Bashir under PICA Act, Fraud and Cheating and Aiding and Abetting for blackmailing and harassing a lady doctor.

The accused persuaded and allured her to work in Maldives at Dustin Thani Resort as a professional doctor and demanded an amount of $900 as 0issuance of offer letter – visa processing fee, etc.

The complaint said that the amount demanded by them was deposited by her in the said bank account of Babar Shahzad as instructed by him.

Whereas, she said, an amount of $1,000 was paid in cash to the receiving agent at Maldives Airport.

The FIA said that the lady doctor was defrauded to the tune of $900 which was equal to Rs139,764 and $1,000.

The FIA team headed by Sub-Inspector Humaira Aslam of FIA Cyber Crime Circle arrested the accused Babar Shahzad,involved in extorting money and blackmailing a woman doctor on the pretext of getting a work visa abroad.

The accused uploaded objectionable material on WhatsApp groups and social media to blackmail the doctor, while the accused continued to harass the female doctor and damaged her reputation in the family as well, the FIR said.

An inquiry was launched after the female doctor lodged a complaint with the FIA’s cyber-crime wing, which led to the registration of an FIR against the accused and arrest of one of the suspects.

According to FIA officials, Babar Shahzad had been arrested while raids were underway to arrest the main accused Badar Shahzad, and Usman Rashid Malik.

The female doctor said that the FIA Cyber Crime Circle Islamabad team investigated the case very quickly and arrested the accused.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2024