The 61-year-old MLA from Mydukur in YSR Kadapa district, who at the moment resides in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, approached the Hyderabad cyber crime police on Thursday night after realising he had been duped. Police registered a case the identical night time and launched an investigation. Sudhakar was former chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
How the rip-off unfolded
In keeping with Sudhakar's criticism, the ordeal started at 7.30 am on October 10, when he obtained a name from a person figuring out himself as ‘Gaurav Shukla,' a supposed officer from the Mumbai cyber crime police. The caller claimed that an FIR had been registered in opposition to the MLA in Mumbai for cash laundering based mostly on 17 complaints, alleging misuse of his Aadhaar and SIM card to open a checking account in his identify. The fraudster mentioned an Airtel SIM card bought in Bandra was linked to unlawful transactions.
Minutes later, one other man, introducing himself as ‘Vikram,' joined a WhatsApp video name posing as a cyber crime investigating officer. He displayed a cast arrest warrant, a CBI account freeze order, and a photograph of a trafficking accused named Sadakat Khan to lend authenticity.
The MLA was instructed that ₹3 crore in laundered funds had been transferred right into a Canara Checking account opened in his identify and that he might face arrest if he didn't cooperate.
How the cash was transferred
Fearing public embarrassment, the panicked legislator adopted directions to safe bail by transferring ₹1.07 crore via 9 transactions between October 10 and 15. The fraud got here to gentle solely when the scammers demanded one other ₹60 lakh, promising a court docket clearance certificates.
Police motion and advisory
Hyderabad cyber crime police registered a case underneath a number of provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Info Know-how Act, together with sections on dishonest, impersonation, forgery, and organised cybercrime.
Officers urged residents to remain vigilant in opposition to calls from pretend regulation enforcement officers and to report such incidents instantly by way of the nationwide cyber crime helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
(With inputs from TOI)
