Delhi Duo Arrested After Posing as Priyanka Gandhi Aides in Ministerial Bribery Scheme
Police have detained two East Delhi residents for demanding three crore rupees from a Kerala MLA in exchange for a cabinet position. The suspects impersonated the private secretary of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to execute the sophisticated cyber fraud.
Interstate Sting Operation Disrupts Delhi-Based Fraud Ring
Law enforcement officials from the Cyber police department have apprehended two individuals in connection with an elaborate extortion racket targeting high-profile politicians. The suspects, identified as 26-year-olds Gourav and Nitin Kumar, were taken into custody at Sapera Basti in East Delhi. This breakthrough followed an intensive investigation led by Assistant Commissioner S.M. Pradeep Kumar and his team, who tracked the criminal network from Kerala to the national capital.
The Cabinet Seat Bait
The investigation centers on a fraudulent proposal made to Vidya Balakrishnan, the MLA for Elathur. On July 6, Balakrishnan received a call from an individual identifying himself as “D.S. Rajkumar.” The caller claimed to serve as the private secretary to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the AICC general secretary and Wayanad MP. During the exchange, the fraudster offered to secure a Cabinet Minister rank for the MLA in exchange for a payment of ₹3 crore.
Digital Footprints and Tactics
Information provided by the Hi-Tech Crime Inquiry Cell allowed investigators to pinpoint the SIM card registration details used in the scam before the team reached New Delhi. The fraudsters utilized specific tactics to establish credibility:
- Communicating exclusively in English to mimic administrative formality.
- Claiming to have obtained the target's contact information from an unnamed Kerala Member of Parliament.
- Focusing on state-level representatives across Kerala, including multiple MPs and MLAs.
Detection and Reporting
Suspicious of the windfall offer, Balakrishnan verified the caller’s identity with Vadra’s official staff, who confirmed the contact was unauthorized. Following directives from the Congress party leadership, the MLA filed a formal police complaint on July 11. The gravity of the impersonation prompted Vadra’s office to engage directly with State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar to ensure a comprehensive probe into the network, which police believe involves several more operatives still at large.
Source: The Hindu — News
