RAIPUR: Online fraudsters hacked the WhatsApp account of Salim Raj, the Chairman of the Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board, and used his identity to swindle Rs 7.72 lakh from his close associates and contacts.
The Raipur Cyber Cell has registered a First Information Report (FIR) and launched a full-scale investigation to track down the perpetrators.
According to police sources, after successfully compromising Raj's WhatsApp account, the cyber criminals gained access to his contact list containing approximately 12,000 numbers. The hackers then blasted desperate mass messages to these contacts, claiming an urgent financial emergency.
The fraudulent messages asserted that Dr. Raj's UPI application was temporarily malfunctioning and requested immediate online transfers of Rs 56,000, promising to return the money quickly.
Given the Waqf Board Chairman's prominent official position, several recipients trusted the message's authenticity and reportedly extended help. Initial police investigations reveal that at least 12 individuals transferred Rs 56,000 each into the accounts provided by the fraudsters.
Furthermore, a close friend of Raj residing in Bilaspur district fell prey to the scam and transferred Rs 1 lakh, bringing the total defrauded amount to Rs 7,72,000.
The scam unraveled when a few alert contacts directly called Dr. Salim Raj to confirm if he had received the funds, only for the Chairman to realise he had been locked out of his account and that his identity was being weaponised.
Following a complaint, the Raipur Cyber Cell immediately took over the case. Cyber security experts are currently analysing technical evidence and tracing the hackers' digital footprints.
"This appears to be a well-planned cyber heist," a senior police official stated.
