The Hindu : Internet impersonator of President nabbed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 06, 2003

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National

Internet impersonator of President nabbed

Mumbai March 5 . The Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, Crime Branch, CID here on Monday achieved a major breakthrough when they zeroed in on a cyber impostor, Prasenjit Vinod Kamble, an engineering student from Pune, who was trying to pry into India's sensitive classified information.

Addressing a press conference here today, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), S.S. Vagal, said in December 2002 they had received information that an unknown person from an undisclosed location had been impersonating the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, via e-mail.

A request was made to the cyber cops to keep a watch over his activities in cyberspace and trace him as he remained elusive and anonymous for quite some time.

The cyber sleuths immediately launched a manhunt for him in the world wide web (www) but had no clues to identify him, Mr. Vagal said.

Skilled technical approach, sustained efforts and initiative shown by the officers revealed that the impostor had mastered the skill of creating, authoring and sending bogus e-mails in the name of non-existent persons and also in the name of the President, he further told the news conference.

The accused also created, authored and maintained dubious websites which had fooled even the intellectuals and academicians in the U.S., Bahrain, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Nashik, Belgaum, and Goa.

It was also revealed that the culprit had cheated victims to the tune of Rs. 1,50,000 impersonating the President, Mr. Vagal added. — UNI

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