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Pune: Hotel Conrad Finance Director Falls Victim to Rs 21 Lakh Cyber Scam

Published: February 02, 2026 | Category: Real Estate Pune
Pune: Hotel Conrad Finance Director Falls Victim to Rs 21 Lakh Cyber Scam

Koregaon Park, 2nd February 2026: In a classic case of “CEO Fraud,” the Finance Director of the luxury Hotel Conrad in Pune fell victim to a cyber scam, losing nearly ₹21 lakh to a fraudster impersonating the company’s owner on WhatsApp. The Pune City Police have registered a case against an unidentified accused.

The complainant, identified as Biplab Chakraborti (54), a resident of Prabhat Road and the Finance Director at Hotel Conrad, Mangaldas Road, lodged the complaint. The incident occurred on January 8, 2026.

The Modus Operandi

According to the FIR, Chakraborti was at his office when he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown mobile number (+91 7256868934). The sender’s display picture featured a photo of Sandeep Raheja, the owner of the company (Palm Grove Beach Hotels Pvt. Ltd.).

The message read: “Biplab its me sandeep Raheja, its my very personal number. please don’t share with anyone… saved it.”

Believing he was communicating with his boss, Chakraborti saved the number. The fraudster then claimed to be busy in a high-profile meeting and unable to take calls. He messaged Chakraborti asking if a specific amount had been received in the company account. When Chakraborti replied in the negative, the imposter instructed him to immediately transfer funds to a “beneficiary” for an urgent business transaction.

The Transaction

Under the impression that the instructions came directly from the owner, Chakraborti transferred a total of ₹20,90,601 (Twenty Lakh Ninety Thousand Six Hundred and One) from the company’s Axis Bank account to an SBI account held by a person named “Amar Singh,” as provided by the fraudster via WhatsApp.

The Realization

The fraud came to light shortly after the transfer when Chakraborti called Sandeep Raheja on his official mobile number to confirm the transaction. Raheja denied sending any such messages or asking for money. Realizing he had been duped, Chakraborti immediately alerted his bank and the Cyber Police.

Police Action

Although the incident occurred on January 8, 2026, and a preliminary online complaint was filed immediately, the formal FIR was registered on January 30, 2026, at the Koregaon Park Police Station.

The police have booked the unidentified accused under: Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Cheating by personation using computer resource). Section 319(2) (Cheating by personation) and Section 318(4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Police Inspector Vijaykumar Doke is investigating the case.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is CEO Fraud?
CEO Fraud is a type of cybercrime where fraudsters impersonate a company’s CEO or top executive to trick employees into transferring money or sharing sensitive information. This is often done through email or messaging apps.
2. How did the fraudster contact the Finance Director?
The fraudster contacted the Finance Director, Biplab Chakraborti, via WhatsApp using a number that appeared to belong to the company’s owner, Sandeep Raheja.
3. How much money was lost in the scam?
The Finance Director transferred a total of ₹20,90,601 (Twenty Lakh Ninety Thousand Six Hundred and One) to the fraudster.
4. What actions did the Finance Director take after realizing the fraud?
After realizing he had been duped, Chakraborti immediately alerted his bank and the Cyber Police. He also filed a formal complaint with the Pune City Police.
5. What legal actions have been taken against the fraudster?
The police have registered a case against the unidentified fraudster under Sections 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.