Scamsters dupe SII posing as CEO Poonawalla

Pune: The Serum Institute of India (SII) has been duped of more than Rs 1 crore by sending WhatsApp messages in the name of its CEO Adar Poonawalla and asking for a transfer of money to various accounts.

According to reports, unidentified cyber fraudsters in the name of the CEO sent a WhatsApp message to one of its Directors seeking money transfer to various accounts.

"An FIR has been registered at Pune's Bundgarden police station against some unidentified persons for cheating the Serum Institute of India for more than Rs 1 crore," the Pune police said.

"After realising that SII CEO Adar Poonawalla had never asked for such transfers or sent messages to the Finance Manager, SII officials made a written complaint in Bundgarden police station. Thereafter, the police registered an FIR under the section of IPC 419, 420, 34 and IT Act for probing the case further," the police said.

The incident came to light after one of the Directors, Satish Deshpande transferred a hefty amount of Rs 1.1 crore. According to officials, the fraudsters posed as CEO Adar Poonawalla and sent WhatsApp messages to Satish Deshpande and asked to transfer money to various bank accounts immediately. Satish Deshpande believed that messages are from Adar Poonawalla and more than Rs 1,01,01,554 crore was transferred to those accounts by the Finance Department of SII. Notably, the transactions were made on September 7 and 8. More details are awaited.