Former CIC Shailesh Gandhi targeted by extortion gang

In his complaint, registered on Tuesday, Gandhi wrote that he received a video call from an unknown number on August 27

Mumbai: Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi has sought police investigation after a cybercriminal tried to extort money from him after an unsolicited intimate video call. The fraudster however failed to extract any money as Gandhi lodged a police complaint immediately after receiving the call.

Shailesh Gandhi (HT File)

In his complaint, registered on Tuesday, Gandhi wrote that he received a video call from an unknown number on August 27. On accepting the call, Gandhi saw the caller -- a woman -- taking off her clothes, and immediately disconnected it. Moments later, Gandhi received a message from the same number saying that the video call was recorded and that if he didn’t pay up, the recording would be sent to his friends and relatives. Gandhi then blocked the phone number.

On August 29, Gandhi claimed that he received a call from a person who identified himself as Rakesh Asthana, the recently retired Delhi police commissioner. The person threatened to take action against Gandhi stating that he had committed a dirty act.

“From the voice and the caller’s way of talking, it took no time for me to realise that it’s a fraud. Hence, I immediately disconnected the call and blocked this number too,” Gandhi told Hindustan Times.

In keeping with a spate of similar extortion attempts, the fraudster saved his name as the former Delhi top cop on True Caller, an application that provides caller identification of unknown numbers. The fraudster also used Asthana’s picture his display picture on social messaging platform WhatsApp.

The first call was made from a number that was saved under the name of a certain Deepali Vyas, but police suspect that the accused used a fake name and photo.

The Santacruz police has registered a first information report (FIR) under sections 385 (extortion) of Indian Penal Code and 66 (E) (intentionally or knowingly captures, publishes or transmits the image of a private area of any person without his or her consent, under circumstances violating the privacy of that person) of Information Technology Act.

“I disconnected the call immediately, but those who would keep the call going for a minute or two, mostly youngsters, would get harassed badly,” Gandhi said.

The former Information commissioner said that the problem was compounded by the fact that fraudsters’ numbers, even if traced, did not imply that they would get caught, as bogus documents without Aadhar cards or other relevant documents, are used to easily obtain SIM cards.

“In such cases the Sim Card distribution vendors should be held responsible. It is important to bring some strict mechanism in place regarding the authenticity/credentials of the SIM card user. By strictly enforcing rules and laws that curbs the issuance of SIM card to unauthorised person, we may not be able to completely stop such (cyber) crimes, but we will at least bring some strict checks,” Gandhi said.