A brazen cyber fraud targeting Congress legislators in Kerala has triggered parallel police investigations after fraudsters, posing as officials from Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's office, allegedly promised ministerial berths in exchange for crores of rupees. The scam prompted D.S. Rajkumar, Private Secretary to Priyanka Gandhi, to lodge a formal complaint with the Kerala Director General of Police and the Wayanad Superintendent of Police on 16 July.

How the Scam Unfolded

Elathur MLA Vidya Balakrishnan was the first known target, receiving a WhatsApp call from a person claiming to represent Priyanka Gandhi's office in New Delhi. The caller asserted that a Cabinet reshuffle in Kerala was imminent and demanded ₹3 crore to secure her a ministerial position. Investigations subsequently revealed that the same phone number was used to contact Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil and Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, indicating a coordinated targeting of multiple elected representatives.

Cyber Cells Register Cases

Following the formal complaint, Kalpetta Cyber Police registered a case of impersonation, while the Kozhikode Cyber Cell launched a parallel investigation based on Balakrishnan's complaint. Preliminary findings indicate that the calls originated from Delhi. Investigators suspect the fraudsters deployed sophisticated caller spoofing technology and mule accounts to mask their identities, meaning the number displayed to the targets may not have belonged to the actual caller. Cyber investigators are currently working to trace those behind the operation and are expected to seek inter-state assistance as the probe advances.

Political Reactions

Kerala Congress President and Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan dismissed the fraudsters' claim of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle with visible amusement. 'A Cabinet reshuffle and that, too, without me knowing?' he reportedly remarked, brushing aside the suggestion as absurd. Kalpetta MLA and State Agriculture Minister T. Siddiqque, speaking to the media in Delhi, struck a more serious note, stating that the matter cannot be treated as a prank and will be probed rigorously. Balakrishnan confirmed she had received the call and acted on directions from the Congress leadership, declining to share further details so as not to compromise the ongoing investigation.

Broader Pattern of Political Impersonation Fraud

This incident reflects a growing trend of cyber-enabled impersonation scams in which fraudsters exploit the names and offices of prominent political figures to lend credibility to financial demands. Investigators have noted that the combination of spoofed numbers, encrypted messaging platforms, and mule accounts makes such operations increasingly difficult to trace quickly. This is not the first time legislators across India have been targeted through fabricated promises of political patronage — a tactic that preys on the opaque nature of political negotiations. Police are examining digital evidence from the calls and are coordinating with agencies outside Kerala.