Himalaya Harbinger, National Bureau.
Prayagraj: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, unidentified criminals duped the accountant of Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi’s company of ₹2.08 crore by impersonating the minister’s son. The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 13, leaving the government and police officials on high alert.
Ritesh Srivastava, the company’s accountant, received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number displaying the photo of the minister’s son. The message claimed urgency, stating, “I am in an important business meeting, and this is my new number. Calls are not possible during the meeting, and some payments need to be made. Please transfer money immediately to the accounts provided.”
Believing the message to be genuine, Ritesh transferred the requested amount into three bank accounts, including those at ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. In total, ₹2.08 crore was sent across the accounts. Later, Ritesh grew suspicious and contacted the minister, only to discover that neither the number nor the message was associated with the minister’s son.
Upon realizing the fraud, Ritesh informed the minister, who immediately escalated the matter to the police.
Case Registered and Accounts Under Investigation
Based on Ritesh Srivastava’s complaint, a case was registered at the Cyber Police Station in Prayagraj against unidentified individuals. The police have begun tracing the bank accounts used in the fraudulent transactions and have requested the respective banks to freeze them.
“An investigation is underway to identify the culprits behind this fraud. We have sent emails to the banks requesting account freezes. Further details about the fraudsters are being collected,” said Rajiv Tiwari, in-charge of the Cyber Police Station.
The case, involving a prominent government official, has caused significant concern within administrative circles. Meanwhile, police officials have advised increased vigilance to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This case underscores the growing threat of cybercrime, even against high-profile individuals and their associates, highlighting the importance of verifying financial requests before transferring money.
