Wipro receives email threat, Rs 500 crore in bitcoin sought as ransom

City based IT giant Wipro have received an anonymous email-threat demanding a ransom of Rs 500 crore worth currency in bitcoins- digital currency.
According to the complaint registered with cyber crime police, the Wipro office in Sarjapura received the email on Friday morning. | File Photo
According to the complaint registered with cyber crime police, the Wipro office in Sarjapura received the email on Friday morning. | File Photo

BENGALURU: City based IT giant Wipro have received an anonymous email-threat demanding a ransom of Rs 500 crore worth currency in bitcoins- digital currency. The sender demanded payment through a certain link by May 25 or else threatened to spread a toxic protein drug in the campus.

According to the complaint registered with cyber crime police, the Wipro office in Sarjapura received the email on Friday morning. The anonymous sender also threatened to use the drug if they failed to pay.

Police sources said the email sent by the id Ramesh2@protonmail.com, claimed that one kg of Ricin has already been stored and two grams would be sent in envelopes to one of  Wipro’s offices to assure that the threat is not a fake.

Ricin in a natural toxic protein which is an extract of castor bean from the castor plant. It is found in byproducts of castor oil production but can be used as biological weapon.

A table spoon of high quality Ricin can kill an adult within a few hours. This can be in the form of powder, a mist, a pellet, or can be dissolved in water or weak acid. This can kill a person within 36-72 hours depending upon the exposure and the dose received.

Wipro authorities confirmed the complaint in a statement saying, "Wipro confirms that it has filed a complaint with the local law enforcement authorities after receiving a threatening letter from an unidentified source. Wipro has augmented security measures at all its office locations. There is no impact on the company's operations. We have no further comments as the investigation is ongoing."
 
DCP (crime) Anand Kumar said, “We are already investigating the case and have got some initial clues. We are looking at all possibilities, including insiders or previous employees who would have done this to scare others. We have also tracked the IP address.”

Cyber police have registered the case under Section 66 F of the IT Act (cyber terrorism) and investigations are underway.

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