In a shocking incident of cyber fraud, Ritesh Srivastava, the accountant of Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, was duped of ?2.08 crore by fraudsters impersonating the minister’s son.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, sending shockwaves from Prayagraj to Lucknow as top officials scrambled to investigate.
According to police, the fraudster used the picture of Minister Nandi's son as the WhatsApp display photo and sent a message to Ritesh Srivastava from an unknown number. The message claimed, "This is my new number. I am in an important business meeting. Please transfer money immediately."
Believing it to be genuine, Srivastava promptly transferred ?2.08 crore in three transactions to the bank accounts provided in the message.
The scam came to light when Srivastava later confirmed with Nandi’s son, only to learn that no such request was made. Realizing the fraud, the accountant informed authorities late on Wednesday night.
The cyber police were alerted around 11:30 PM, prompting swift action.
Senior officials were reportedly stunned by the audacity of the scam, given its connection to a high-profile cabinet minister.
The cyber police station in-charge, Rajiv Tiwari, confirmed that efforts are underway to trace the culprits and recover the funds.
The investigation revealed that the fraudsters used bank accounts from ICICI, HDFC, and another unidentified bank for the transactions. Cyber police have contacted the banks to freeze the accounts and retrieve transaction details.
Tiwari stated, “Emails have been sent to freeze the concerned accounts, and further details are being extracted to identify the fraudsters.”
Minister Nand Gopal Gupta’s office has yet to issue an official statement. When contacted, his PRO assured that the minister would respond, but no clarification was received until the time of reporting.
This high-profile incident highlights the increasing threat of cyber fraud and the need for vigilance in financial transactions, even among individuals in influential positions.
Authorities have urged the public to double-check requests for money transfers, particularly those made over messaging apps, police official Tiwari said.
The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be shared as more details emerge.
