A sophisticated cyber fraud attempt has surfaced where scammers posing as Priyanka Gandhi's staff demanded crores from Congress MLAs in exchange for ministerial posts.
Key Takeaways
- Scammers impersonated staff from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's office.
- A demand of ₹3 crore was made to secure Cabinet Minister positions.
- MLA Vidya Balakrishnan from Alathur promptly identified and reported the fraud.
- Kozhikode Cyber Police have registered an FIR and launched an investigation.
In a startling development involving high-profile political impersonation, a major fraud attempt has been reported in Kerala. Scammers, posing as employees of Congress Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, targeted several Congress legislators, promising them lucrative ministerial positions in the state cabinet in exchange for massive bribes.
The Modus Operandi of the Scam
The incident came to light when Vidya Balakrishnan, the Congress MLA from Alathur, received a WhatsApp call from a Delhi-based number. The caller, claiming to be an official from the office of the Wayanad MP, attempted to manipulate the legislator by offering a seat in the state cabinet. The price for this political advancement was set at a staggering ₹3 crore.
Swift Action by Legislators and Authorities
Demonstrating high political intelligence, MLA Balakrishnan immediately sensed the deception. Instead of falling prey to the extortion attempt, she alerted senior party leadership and moved to report the matter to the authorities. Following this, Rajkumar, a private secretary to Priyanka Gandhi, filed a formal complaint. The Kozhikode Cyber Police have since registered an FIR and are aggressively pursuing the digital trail to apprehend the culprits.
Widespread Targeting of Political Figures
The investigation suggests that this was not an isolated incident. Reports indicate that two other prominent MPs, Shafi Parambil and Dean Kuriakose, also received similar fraudulent calls. This pattern points toward a coordinated cybercrime operation aimed at exploiting political ambitions and leveraging the names of influential leaders to conduct large-scale extortion. Law enforcement agencies are currently working with technical experts to trace the location and identity of the callers.
