Serum Institute of India Duped of Rs 1 Crore as Fraudsters Ask For Money Transfer in CEO Adar Poonawalla’s Name

Satish Deshpande, one of the directors of SII Pune, received WhatsApp messages from a person posing as Adar Poonawalla, according to the FIR.

Mumbai: Cases of cyber fraud are on an unprecedented rise and the latest target has been the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune. Fraudsters duped vaccine-maker Serum Institute of India (SII) of more than Rs 1 crore by sending messages in the name of its Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla and asking for transfer of money, reported news agency PTI quoting Pune Police on Saturday.

The fraud took place between the afternoons of 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.

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?

• Satish Deshpande, one of the directors of SII Pune, received WhatsApp messages from a person posing as Adar Poonawalla, according to 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.
• 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.
• An investigation into the matter was underway, said inspector Mankar.
• The SII, which has a plant near Pune, produces the Covishield vaccine against coronavirus among other vaccines.

(With inputs from PTI)