Scammers forge Nirmala Sitharaman's signature, dupe Pune woman of Rs 99 lakh: Report
New Delhi: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, scammers forged the signature of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on a fake arrest warrant to swindle a 62-year-old retired LIC officer from Pune of nearly Rs 99 lakh, according to a report by India Today.
The fraud began in the last week of October when the victim, a resident of Kothrud, received a call from a man claiming to represent a “Data Protection Agency.” He alleged that her Aadhaar-linked mobile number had been misused for fraudulent financial transactions.
The call was soon transferred to another person, who introduced himself as a senior police officer named George Mathew. During a video conversation, the impersonator accused her of money laundering and warned that her bank accounts would be frozen. To make the threat appear legitimate, the scammers sent her a forged arrest warrant bearing Sitharaman’s fake signature and what appeared to be an official government seal, according to the Pune City Cyber Police.
The fraudsters reportedly told the woman that, given her age, she would be placed under “digital arrest” and instructed her to transfer all her savings to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accounts for “verification.” Believing the claim, she transferred Rs 99 lakh to multiple accounts that investigators later found were controlled by a cybercrime network operating from Thane.
To maintain credibility, the scammers even shared additional fabricated documents, including a fake Enforcement Directorate (ED) receipt. When the woman later tried to contact them, their phone numbers had been switched off. Realising she had been duped, she lodged a complaint with the Pune City Cyber Police.
Investigations are underway to trace the bank accounts and phone numbers used in the fraud. Officials said cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting public trust by misusing the names of legitimate government bodies like the Data Protection Board of India (DPBI) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
A Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber) described the case as alarming, noting that the use of forged documents bearing signatures of senior ministers and top officials reflects a dangerous new trend. “These scams exploit public trust in official institutions. Citizens should verify any such communication directly with authorities before taking financial action,” India Today quoted the official as saying.
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Commuters bear brunt as labour union protest halts traffic at Delhi-Noida border
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New Delhi (PTI): Commuters faced a harrowing morning on Monday as a massive traffic jam brought vehicular movement to a near standstill at the Delhi-Noida border following a protest by a labour union demanding a salary hike.
The protest, which began early in the day, led to congestion on key arterial roads connecting Delhi and Noida, including NH 9, severely disrupting the office rush hour.
Long queues of vehicles were seen stretching for several kilometres, with many commuters stranded for hours.
A police source said that members of the labour union from Uttar Pradesh gathered near the border area were staging a demonstration, blocking portions of the road and slowing down traffic movement.
"Personnel from the Delhi Police and Noida Police were deployed to manage the situation and divert traffic, but the heavy volume of vehicles compounded the chaos," the source said.
Frustrated commuters took to social media platform X, urging authorities to intervene and clear the roads. Many complained of being stuck in unmoving traffic despite starting early to avoid peak-hour congestion.
An employee of a private company said she left her home at around 7:30 am but remained stuck in traffic for over an hour without any significant movement.
"There is no movement at all. People are getting down from vehicles and trying to figure out what's happening ahead," she said.
Authorities said efforts were underway to clear the congestion and restore smooth traffic flow as soon as possible.
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