Fake Cabinet seat offer: Priyanka's private secy files complaint as Shafi, Dean also targeted

Kalpetta (Kerala): The police have registered a criminal case following scam calls with which fraudsters targeted senior Congress leaders by falsely promising them cabinet minister portfolios. The Wayanad Cyber Police initiated the probe based on a formal complaint lodged by D S Rajkumar, the private secretary to Priyanka Gandhi MP.

The deceptive phone calls were made under the guise of originating from the Wayanad MP's official office. In addition to Elathur MLA Vidya Balakrishnan, it has emerged that MPs Shafi Parambil and Dean Kuriakose were also targeted with similar fraudulent calls.

A fraudster using an unknown number contacted Vidya by masquerading as Rajkumar. Investigators have received reports indicating that Shafi Parambil and Dean Kuriakose were subjected to identical calls executed in a similar manner.

Vidya Balakrishnan, the Elathur MLA, was told she could secure a cabinet birth in exchange for ₹3 crore. The caller, speaking from Delhi, claimed that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent and offered the ministerial post for the sum, asserting affiliation with the Wayanad MP's office.

The caller spoke in English and claimed that an MP from the district had provided Vidya's contact details. As the conversation progressed, Vidya grew suspicious, cut the call short by pretending to agree to the financial terms, and immediately contacted the MP mentioned by the caller.

The MP said that an individual claiming to call from the AICC headquarters had contacted him earlier to collect the mobile numbers of two political leaders from the district. The Kozhikode Cyber Cell has already commenced a parallel investigation based on the initial complaint filed by Vidya.