Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) R. M. Lodha was cheated by an online fraudster, who had allegedly hacked the email account of his colleague, a retired judge, said the police on Sunday.
In a complaint to the police, Mr. Lodha, who lives in south Delhi, mentioned that, on April 19, at 1.40 a.m., he received an email on his mail account that he used for official purposes, from a colleague and retired judge of the Supreme Court. He was accustomed to corresponding with his colleague on the same mail ID.
The colleague requested him for some urgent help on email as he was unavailable over the phone. He responded on email enquiring on the nature of help needed. At 3.51 a.m., he received another email, stating that his [colleague] cousin was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and was short of funds. In the email, it was requested to transfer a sum of ₹1 lakh online, and the details of the surgeon’s bank account were also sent. Mr. Lodha responded to the email assuring the transfer of the money would be made at the earliest.
He transferred ₹50,000 to the account mentioned in the email in the morning. By evening, he transferred the remaining ₹50,000 to the account.
On May 30, he received an email from his colleague that during the intervening night of 18-19 April, some miscreant had hacked his email account and impersonated him.
