New Delhi, June 18
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral, son of former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, has allegedly been cheated of ₹7.8 crore in a cyber fraud in which scammers posed as him on a messaging application and convinced company staff to transfer funds.
According to police, the fraud took place over four days between June 12 and June 16. The accused allegedly created an account using Gujral’s display picture and sent messages to an employee with access to company finances, instructing the staff member to transfer funds for what appeared to be urgent business requirements.
Acting on the messages, the employee carried out multiple RTGS transactions, resulting in the transfer of ₹7.8 crore to accounts linked to the fraud.
The deception came to light on June 16 when Gujral’s daughter became aware of the transactions and verified the instructions with her father. It was then discovered that he had neither issued the directions nor had any knowledge of the transfers.
An electronic FIR was subsequently registered with Delhi Police, which launched an investigation into the case.
Police said prompt action enabled authorities to freeze nearly ₹4 crore of the defrauded amount by placing restrictions on several bank accounts connected to the suspected fraud.
Investigators are now tracing the flow of funds and identifying the individuals who ultimately received the money.
Naresh Gujral, 78, is the son of former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, who served as India’s 12th Prime Minister between 1997 and 1998.
The case highlights the growing threat posed by impersonation-based cyber fraud, in which criminals exploit trusted identities to deceive victims into making financial transactions.
