A 45-year-old man accused of posing as a person close to Rahul Gandhi’s political aide and promising political posts and favours in return for cash and gold has been brought to Hyderabad from Patiala jail for questioning.
Hyderabad Cybercrime Police identified the accused as Gaurav Kumar alias Gora, a resident of Amritsar. Police allege that he targeted politicians and election candidates across several states by claiming access to influential political circles.
Investigators say at least 14 people may have been targeted and around ₹3 crore allegedly collected in cash and gold ornaments.
The Hyderabad case began after All India Congress Committee secretary Jetti Kusuma Kumar filed a complaint on July 1 over the alleged misuse of the identity of Rahul Gandhi aide Kanishka Singh.
Proposal for Conducting Cyber Crisis Drill, Tabletop Exercise (TTEx) & CCMP Readiness Exercise
WhatsApp calls allegedly became the doorway to political access
According to police, Kumar allegedly contacted targets through WhatsApp calls and messages and presented himself as someone capable of arranging political influence.
The promises reportedly varied depending on the target.
Some were allegedly offered important positions. Others were told political support or benefits could be arranged, particularly people who had previously contested Assembly elections.
In return, police say the accused sought cash or gold.
The alleged method relied less on technical hacking than on social engineering — convincing a target that the caller had access to a powerful person and could deliver something the victim badly wanted.
That can be particularly effective in political circles, where informal introductions, recommendations and personal networks often carry significant weight.
No financial loss was suffered by the complainant in the Hyderabad case, according to the information provided by police. The complaint instead centred on the alleged impersonation and attempted misuse of Kanishka Singh’s identity.
This was allegedly not the first time the same name was used
The Hyderabad investigation fits into a wider pattern of complaints involving people allegedly posing as aides to senior political leaders.
In Haryana, a Congress functionary complained earlier this year that he received a WhatsApp call from a person claiming to be Kanishka Singh, described as Rahul Gandhi’s secretary. The caller allegedly sought money, and the complainant said he was cheated of ₹10 lakh.
Separate reporting in May also identified Gaurav Kumar in a multi-state impersonation investigation involving politicians in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Bihar.
According to that report, Kumar allegedly used fake Truecaller identities and claimed he could arrange Assembly tickets or influential political positions in exchange for payments.
The recurrence of the same political identity across complaints is now likely to be important for Hyderabad investigators.
Police will need to establish whether the alleged calls in different states came from the same person, whether others helped identify potential targets and how money or valuables were collected.
How does political impersonation fraud work?
Unlike phishing scams that depend on malicious links or fake banking pages, political impersonation fraud can succeed almost entirely through credibility.
The fraudster first borrows authority.
A WhatsApp profile, caller identity or claimed association with a senior politician can create the impression that the person is connected to a powerful office.
The second stage is exclusivity.
Targets may be told they are being privately considered for a ticket, party position, recommendation or other benefit. That secrecy can discourage them from independently checking the claim.
The final stage is payment.
Money may be described as a contribution, organisational requirement, facilitation amount or some other unofficial expense.
Once payment is made, the fraudster can disappear or continue demanding more.
Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have dealt with similar impersonation techniques before.
In a 2025 case, police arrested an accused who allegedly created fake email and WhatsApp identities in the names of senior government officials and approached wealthy individuals and businesses seeking financial assistance. Police specifically warned citizens not to trust messages merely because they appear to come from a high-ranking official.
Patiala jail transit opens another stage of the investigation
Gaurav Kumar had already been arrested by Punjab Police in a separate case and was lodged in Central Prison, Patiala.
Hyderabad Cybercrime Police subsequently obtained a production transit warrant and brought him to Hyderabad for questioning in the latest case.
A production warrant allows investigators or a court to secure the presence of a person who is already in judicial custody elsewhere.
Police are now examining Kumar’s mobile phone, WhatsApp contacts, call records and financial transactions.
Investigators are also trying to trace the cash and gold allegedly collected from victims and determine whether other people helped operate the suspected network.
Another key question is how the accused allegedly identified politicians or election candidates who might be receptive to such promises.
If investigators find lists of targets, common intermediaries or repeated payment channels, the case could move beyond a single impersonator and towards a broader organised fraud network.
Police are also examining whether additional victims have not yet come forward.
That possibility is significant because people who paid money in the hope of receiving political favour may be reluctant to report the fraud publicly.
What this means for you: Never treat a WhatsApp call, profile name or claimed proximity to a political leader as proof of identity. Any demand for cash, gold or payment in return for a party ticket, appointment or political favour should be independently verified through the organisation’s official channels.
The420 Insight: This alleged racket shows how social engineering changes with the victim. In banking fraud, scammers exploit fear or greed. In political circles, the valuable commodity can be access itself — and a convincing claim of proximity to power may be enough to unlock crores.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
