Posing as Adar Poonawalla, scammers dupe SII of Rs 1 cr, 7 nabbed

Pune: In a major breakthrough, the Pune Police said they have arrested seven accused in the cheating case in which Serum Institute of India (SII) was duped of over Rs 1.01 crore.

As per the complaint, Satish Deshpande, one of the directors at the SII had received a message on WhatsApp from a person posing as SII CEO Adar Poonawalla and was asked to send money into seven different accounts in September 2022.

Believing the message was from Poonawala, Deshpande transferred Rs 1.01 crore into those accounts, only to realise later that the company had been duped.

A complaint in this regard was registered and during the investigation, police zeroed in on the eight accounts to which the money was transferred.

“It has been revealed the money was transferred into the accounts of these seven people who have now been arrested from different parts of the country. However, the main accused is still absconding” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Smartana Patil (Zone II).

She added that they had seized all these accounts and 40 others in which the funds were further transferred from these eight accounts.

“We have also frozen Rs 13 lakh in these accounts,” she said.

The Cyber Unit of Pune City police on Friday arrested 3 accused involved in the case.

“The Cyber Unit of Pune City police has arrested 3 accused involved in the case relating to cheating Serum Institute of India posing as CEO Adar Poonawalla. A total of 7 accused arrested till now. The main accused remains absconding,” said the police.

Further details are awaited.

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