Former PM's Son Falls Victim to Cyber Impersonation
Naresh Gujral, son of former Indian Prime Minister IK Gujral and a former Rajya Sabha MP, has reportedly been defrauded of approximately ₹7.8 crore in a sophisticated cybercrime. The elaborate scheme involved fraudsters impersonating Gujral on a messaging platform to deceive his company's chief financial officer (CFO) into making substantial financial transfers.
How the Impersonation Scheme Unfolded
Investigators revealed that the fraud occurred between June 12 and June 16, 2026. The perpetrators created a fake messaging account using Naresh Gujral's display picture and initiated communication with an employee authorized to handle financial transactions. Believing the instructions originated from Gujral and were critical for urgent business needs, the employee executed four separate Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transfers over four days, totaling the significant loss.
The deception came to light on June 16 when Gujral's daughter noticed the transactions and verified them with her father, who confirmed he had issued no such directives.
Swift Action Leads to Significant Fund Recovery
Following a complaint from Naresh Gujral, an FIR was registered on June 16, 2026. Police acted promptly, successfully freezing ₹4.28 crore of the total defrauded amount across various bank accounts. Gujral himself confirmed that rapid reporting to the cybercrime department enabled the recovery of "more than 70 per cent" of the funds, with ongoing efforts to retrieve the remainder.
Tracing the Digital Money Trail
The stolen funds were initially routed into four bank accounts located in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, with each account receiving between ₹1 crore and ₹2 crore. From there, the money was quickly dispersed across 30 to 40 additional accounts and subsequently moved through multiple 'mule' accounts in a clear attempt to obscure the transaction trail. Cyber investigators are actively tracing these movements to identify the beneficiaries and apprehend those responsible for the fraud.
A Growing Threat: Impersonation Cybercrime
This incident underscores a concerning trend of increasing cybercrime, particularly those involving impersonation tactics. Fraudsters are increasingly exploiting messaging platforms and stolen identities to gain unauthorized access to corporate and personal funds. Authorities continue to warn individuals and businesses to exercise extreme caution and verify financial requests through multiple channels, especially those communicated digitally.