Ex-PM Gujral's Son Duped in Cyber Scam

Former Prime Minister, late Inder Kumar Gujral's son Naresh Gujral, himself a former Rajya Sabha MP of the Shiromani Akali Dal, has reportedly been defrauded of Rs. 7.8 crore in a cyber scam, police said on Thursday.

In a complaint filed with Delhi Police, Naresh Gujral, stated that a member of his staff received a WhatsApp message from a number displaying his profile picture.

The scammer impersonated Naresh Gujral and communicated with the employee, eventually sending a bank account number.

The employee was instructed to transfer Rs. 7.8 crore to that account via RTGS. Believing the request to be genuine, the employee completed the transaction.

However, the WhatsApp number did not actually belong to Naresh Gujral. According to officials, a fraudster had simply used his profile picture to deceive the employee.

Upon receiving the complaint, Delhi Police registered an electronic First Information Report (e-FIR) on Tuesday and formed a team to investigate the case. Police began tracing the scammer's mobile number and the bank account involved.

By following the money trail, investigators have managed to freeze nearly Rs. 4 crore across various bank accounts.

Police said this type of fraud is commonly known as a "boss scam," in which criminals impersonate a company boss or senior executive and instruct employees to transfer money or carry out financial transactions.

Earlier, the Cyber Police Station of Delhi Police's Shahdara District had busted an online investment fraud racket linked to transactions of approximately Rs 1.56 crore and arrested two persons for allegedly operating mule bank accounts used to route and conceal proceeds of cyber fraud.

According to police, the accused were actively facilitating cybercriminals by providing and managing bank accounts used to receive the money obtained by cheating and transferring it further to obscure the financial trail. Several digital devices and incriminating evidence have been recovered during the operation.

The complainant alleged that she was cheated out of Rs 21 lakh through an online investment scam.