Fraudsters dupe Serum Institute of Rs 1 cr by asking for money transfer in CEO's name

Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has been duped of Rs 1 crore by fraudsters who allegedly posed as the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) Adar Poonawalla and sent a WhatsApp message to one of its directors seeking money transfer to various accounts, said the police.

The fraud unfolded between Wednesday and Thursday, said an official of Bundgarden police station.

A First Information Report (FIR) for cheating and offences under the Information Technology Act has been registered against unidentified persons, said senior inspector Pratap Mankar.

Satish Deshpande, one of the directors of the SII, received WhatsApp messages from a person who posed as Adar Poonawalla, as per the FIR.

The sender asked Deshpande to transfer money to certain bank accounts immediately, said the complaint filed by the finance manager of the firm.

Also watch: Explained: AAP's big 'nutrition scam' charge on Shivraj Singh Chauhan's govt

Believing that it was the CEO who had messaged, company officials transferred Rs 1,01,01,554 online, only to realize later that Poonawalla had never sent any such WhatsApp communication.

Investigation was going on, said inspector Mankar.

The SII, which has a plant near Pune, produces the Covishield vaccine against coronavirus among other vaccines.

With PTI inputs