Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 23: Renowned author, philanthropist and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sudha Murty, who also serves as chairperson of the Infosys Foundation has reportedly become the target of a cybercriminal who attempted to threaten and deceive her over the phone by posing as a government official from the Telecom Department.
According to police sources, the incident took place on the morning of September 5, around 9:40 am, when Murty received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as a staff member of the Ministry of Telecommunications and claimed that Murty’s mobile number was being misused to circulate pornographic videos.
He went on to threaten that her number would be disconnected by 12:00 noon unless the issue was resolved immediately.
What added to the deception was that, upon checking the number on the Truecaller app, it displayed as belonging to the 'Telecom Department'. Trusting the caller’s identity, Murty answered the call. After realising the suspicious nature of the conversation, she promptly reported the incident.
A formal complaint was lodged on September 20 with the Bengaluru Cyber Crime police station by B Ganapathi, 65, on Murty’s behalf.
The FIR states that the fraudster informed Murty that her number had been registered in 2020 but was not linked to her Aadhaar card, making it vulnerable to misuse. He further threatened to send explicit content using her number and cut off mobile access if she failed to comply.
The call was made from the number +91 9242142562. When checked on Truecaller, it falsely displayed the caller ID as "Telecom Department". The complaint alleges that the caller spoke rudely and attempted to extract sensitive personal information from Murty under false pretences.
"The individual, using a fake ID, spoke in an inappropriate manner and tried to access personal information belonging to Dr Sudha Murty," the FIR stated.
Police have registered a case under Section 66(C) of the Information Technology Act for identity theft, Section 66(D) for cheating by personation using computer resources, and Section 84(C) for attempting to commit offences under the IT Act. Investigators are currently tracking the digital trail of the fraudster and gathering information linked to the phone number used in the call.
Authorities suspect that the fraudster’s main intention was to instil fear and collect confidential information from the MP. Investigations are ongoing, though no arrests have been made so far.
Officials have advised the public to be cautious of similar scam calls, even if the caller ID appears to represent a government department.