The Central Crime Station (CCS) police in Hyderabad have registered a case of cheating and impersonation following a complaint from a software company director who alleged that he was defrauded of over Rs 5.5 crore by an individual claiming to be a senior executive of the National Information and Cybersecurity Council (NICC). Subsequent investigations revealed that NICC had no affiliation with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Complaint Details
According to the complaint filed by D Nalini Kumar, 46, director of Tech Fair Technologies based in Ameenpur, he was introduced to the accused, Prameel Arjun, through a mutual friend. Kumar stated that he was informed Arjun served as the South Regional Head of NICC and was seeking institutional partners for cybersecurity training programs.
Initial Meeting and False Promises
During their initial meeting in January 2024, Arjun presented NICC as a premier cybersecurity body operating under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of MeitY. He displayed brochures and materials claiming recognition from prominent dignitaries and partnerships with organizations such as DRDO, Delhi Police, and SBI. The complainant admitted that he was influenced by certain media reports and an official-looking website.
Arjun offered a cybersecurity training program where students would pay a subscription fee and receive a government stipend after completing six months of training. Kumar alleged that Arjun induced him to pay Rs 1 crore as a fee to recognize his company as a Centre of Excellence for training. Arjun promised 2,000 login credentials for training at Rs 5,000 per student and advised Kumar to charge Rs 15,000 per student. He also allegedly assured a Rs 2 crore government grant to set up labs.
Financial Losses and Realization
Acting on Arjun's advice, Kumar claimed to have spent approximately Rs 3 crore to establish offices in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. However, the promised training, credentials, and grants never materialized. The complainant realized the fraud when he discovered that NICC's office did not exist at its claimed addresses in Delhi. Additionally, a Right to Information (RTI) reply from MeitY confirmed that NICC was not associated with the ministry.
Legal Action
Alleging a loss of over Rs 5.5 crore due to the fraud, Kumar approached the CCS police on May 21 with a complaint against Prameel Arjun. Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against Arjun under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation), 336(3) (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 340(2) (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
