West Tripura District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar has sought an urgent cybercrime investigation after an unidentified person allegedly impersonated him on WhatsApp and demanded ₹30,000 from district officials using his photograph and identity.
A suspected WhatsApp impersonation and cyber fraud attempt has come to light in Tripura, with an unidentified person allegedly misusing the photograph and identity of West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Dr Vishal Kumar, IAS, to solicit money from government officials.
According to an official communication dated November 12, Dr Vishal Kumar has approached the Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime), Tripura Police, requesting an immediate investigation into the incident and identification of the person or persons operating the fraudulent WhatsApp account.
The unidentified individual allegedly used mobile number 9861732019 and placed the District Magistrate’s photograph as the WhatsApp display picture to create the impression of communicating directly with the senior administrative officer.
The impersonator reportedly sent messages to several officers and employees of the West Tripura district administration, including Deputy Collectors and Magistrates, Treasury Officers, Block Development Officers and other ministerial staff members.
Through these messages, the unidentified person allegedly sought financial assistance of ₹30,000 from individual recipients while falsely claiming to be the District Magistrate and Collector. The incident raised serious concerns within the district administration over the misuse of government officials’ identities for financial deception.
Taking serious note of the matter, Dr Vishal Kumar formally requested the cybercrime authorities to initiate an immediate and time-bound investigation to trace the individual behind the WhatsApp account, establish the source of the impersonation and take appropriate legal action.
Screenshots of the suspicious WhatsApp messages, including the impersonating profile photograph and alleged financial demands, were enclosed with the communication as supporting evidence to assist the investigation.
The matter has also been brought to the attention of the Director General of Police, Tripura, for information and the Superintendent of Police, West Tripura, for necessary coordination and further action.
Meanwhile, the West Tripura District Administration has issued an advisory urging all government officers, employees and members of the public to remain alert against suspicious WhatsApp messages seeking money or financial assistance in the name of the District Magistrate or other government officials.
The administration has specifically cautioned people against transferring money or sharing one-time passwords (OTPs), banking credentials or other sensitive personal information in response to such messages. It has also advised recipients to independently verify every financial request through authorised communication channels before taking any action.
Officials and members of the public have been urged to immediately report suspicious messages and impersonation attempts to the concerned authorities.
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The District Administration reiterated that impersonating public officials and attempting to deceive people through fraudulent digital communication are serious offences that will be dealt with appropriately.
As of the latest communication, there is no confirmation of whether any official transferred money in response to the alleged demand. The cybercrime investigation has been sought to identify those responsible and establish the full extent of the suspected fraud.
