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Hyderabad: In an unusual move, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have named the head of Google India, Preeti Lobana, as a co-accused in three cyber fraud cases after victims alleged they were duped through fraudulent stock market investment apps downloaded from the Google Play Store.

The three complainants, who claimed to have lost between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 24 lakh, alleged they trusted the apps because they were available on Google’s official app marketplace. Police have invoked provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the alleged fraudsters as well as Lobana in all three cases.

A Hyderabad Cyber Crime officer told the Times of India that the Google India head was booked as a co-accused based on the specific complaints of the victims, and that notices had been issued to Google directing it to remove the fraudulent applications. 

“If the app is removed, the intermediary is exempt from liability and will not be charged. However, if it is not removed without a valid reason, the company also becomes an accused under Section 79(3) of the IT Act,” the officer said.

Rs 24 lakh lost to fake Sitharaman ad

In the first case, a 69-year-old resident of Santoshnagar filed a complaint on July 15 alleging he lost Rs 24 lakh in a fake stock market investment scheme. He said he had come across a Facebook advertisement on May 20 featuring Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman purportedly endorsing an investment scheme promising returns of Rs 22 lakh a week, after which he was contacted on WhatsApp by a woman identifying herself as Dia Zian, who got him to install an app from the Play Store, claiming it was licensed by South Africa‘s Financial Sector Conduct Authority. 

He transferred Rs 24.37 lakh to multiple bank accounts between May and June, and the money was withheld when he sought to withdraw it. Police booked Dia Zian, Aneesh Mathew and Lobana under sections 66(C) (identity theft) and 66(D) (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the IT Act and sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 319(2) (cheating by personation), 336(3) (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 340(2) (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the BNS.

Rs 17 lakh siphoned through fake IPO platform

In the second case, registered on July 14, a 40-year-old government employee from Adibatla alleged he was cheated of more than Rs 17 lakh through a fake securities trading platform. He said a woman identifying herself as Ananya Kulkarni had contacted him on WhatsApp in May, claiming to offer stock market and artificial intelligence (AI)-based investment services, and got him to download an app through a shared link. 

He transferred over Rs 17 lakh, including money borrowed through personal loans, between May 12 and June 16. Although the app showed profits of Rs 41.7 lakh, the accused allegedly sought additional payments before allowing withdrawals. 

Police booked Ananya Kulkarni, Gul Tekchandani and the Google India head in this case.

Third case involves Rs 7 lakh loss

In the third case, registered on June 30, a 71-year-old retired government employee from Erragadda alleged he lost Rs 7 lakh after investing through a fraudulent stock trading application following contact from two individuals identifying themselves as Swarnali and Avishek on WhatsApp. 

Police booked the two alleged fraudsters, along with Lobana, in this case as well.