How Did Scammers Cheat Naresh Gujral of INR 7.8 Crore? Fake Messaging Account Fraud Explained
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral, son of former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, has fallen victim to a major cyber fraud in which scammers allegedly cheated his company of INR 7.8 crore by impersonating him on a messaging platform. Delhi Police have managed to freeze nearly INR 4 crore of the stolen funds and are continuing efforts to recover the remaining amount.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral, son of former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, has fallen victim to a major cyber fraud in which scammers allegedly cheated his company of INR 7.8 crore by impersonating him on a messaging platform. Delhi Police have managed to freeze nearly INR 4 crore of the stolen funds and are continuing efforts to recover the remaining amount.
According to investigators, the fraud took place between June 12 and June 16 after cybercriminals allegedly created a fake messaging account using Gujral’s display picture. The accused then contacted an employee of Gujral’s garment business and sent urgent instructions seeking multiple RTGS transfers for what appeared to be legitimate business requirements.
Trusting the authenticity of the messages, the employee carried out four separate fund transfers totaling INR 7.8 crore. Police said the transactions initially did not raise suspicion because they appeared to be routine business approvals. During the process, the bank flagged the unusually large transfers and sought confirmation from the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who approved them, believing they had been authorised by Gujral. INR 299 Online Shopping Deal Turns Into INR 1 Lakh Scam for Mumbai Private Hospital Nurse.
The scam was uncovered on June 16 when a company official became suspicious and contacted Gujral’s daughter to verify the payments. She subsequently checked with her father and discovered that he had never issued any such instructions, prompting the family to file a police complaint.
Investigators later found that the fraudsters had allegedly sent a malicious file to one of the employees, compromising the individual’s mobile phone. The gang then manipulated the contact details stored on the device, replacing Gujral’s phone number with their own while retaining his profile picture. As a result, messages from the scammers appeared to originate from Gujral himself. Digital Arrest Scam in Mumbai: Elderly Man in Dadar Kept Under 'Digital Arrest' for 10 Days As Fraudsters Steal Over INR 1 Crore.
Speaking to media, Gujral praised the Delhi Police cybercrime team for their swift action and expressed hope that more of the stolen money would be recovered. Police said the funds were routed through multiple bank accounts across different states. Officials have urged people to independently verify any request involving large fund transfers or sensitive information before taking action.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 08:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
