Contractor held for creating fake email ID of Maharashtra deputy CM’s aide and sending fake transfer orders – Times of India

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Police’s cyber cell has arrested a 40-year-old contractor from Sangli for allegedly creating a fake email ID in the name of Vidyadhar Mahale, the private secretary to deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Mahamad Ilyiaz Yakoob is suspected of using this fake email ID, complete with the deputy CM’s signature, to send fictitious transfer letters to Mahavitaran, involving at least six officers from the department. It is believed that financial gain motivated Yakoob, who frequently visits Mantralaya.
The deceptive email ID was utilized to send instructions for the transfers of a senior executive engineer and four assistant engineers posted at various locations across the state. Even transfer orders were nearly issued before a tip-off prompted an internal investigation and subsequent involvement of the state cyber cell.
The cyber police are currently investigating how many such fraudulent orders of different departments were sent using the fake email ID, which had been used to transmit around 40 fake emails.
Yakoob’s elaborate deception was discovered when he sent an email in July with the subject urging urgent action on the attached pending request. The attached file bore the forged signature of Fadnavis and detailed the transfers of the senior executive engineer and five assistant engineers to different locations.
State Cyber Cell Special inspector general of police Yashasvi described the incident as a phishing attack. The cyber police, despite initially encountering a masked IP address, were able to trace the VPN details and identify the public WiFi and mobile number used by Yakoob in the commission of the crime.
The investigation is on, with authorities looking into backdated transfers to determine if Yakoob has previously succeeded in orchestrating similar fraudulent transfers. During interrogation, Yakoob claimed to have connections with BJP leaders Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Atul Save.