Fraudsters posing as Adar Poonawalla stole Rs 1 crore from Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute

Unidentified cyber hackers scammed the vaccine company Serum Institute of India (SSI) in Pune of Rs 1 crore. He allegedly disguised himself as the company's CEO, Adar Poonawalla, and sent a WhatsApp message to a director requesting that money be moved to the accounts of various people, according to officials. The director accepted the communication, and the monies were transferred. The police are investigating the situation.

According to Bund Garden Police Station Senior Inspector Pratap Manekar, a report was filed against unknown persons on Friday based on the claim of the company's financial manager Sagar Kittur. Between 1.35 p.m. on September 7 and 2.30 p.m. on September 8, the incident occurred.

According to the report, Satish Deshpande, one of SII's directors, received a WhatsApp message from someone introducing himself as Adar Poonawalla. He directed Deshpande to transfer the monies as soon as possible to several bank accounts.

A total of 1,01,01,554 rupees was moved online

According to Police Inspector Mankar, Satish Deshpande felt the communication came from the CEO. As a result, Rs 1,01,01,554 was transferred online. It was later revealed that Adar Poonawalla had never sent such a WhatsApp message. He indicated that the individuals involved in this case are being sought.

The report was submitted under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing property handover), and 34 (common intention), as well as parts of the Information Technology Act, according to the police. Attempts are being made to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, as well as the senders of WhatsApp messages and the owners of the bank accounts into which the money was transferred, he said.