Cybercriminals allegedly siphon ₹22.30 crore from Tamil Nadu rural development account
The funds were earmarked for strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure and services in rural areas under the Fifteenth Finance Commission.
Cybercriminals allegedly siphoned off ₹22,30,04,879 from a Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department bank account between October 12 and 30, according to reports by The Hindu and South First.
The money was held in a Single Nodal Account at the HDFC Bank CIT Nagar branch in Chennai. These funds, provided by the Union and State governments, were intended for rural health sector grants under the Fifteenth Finance Commission to improve primary healthcare infrastructure.
K.R. Ramprasad, a Block Development Officer and Superintendent at the Directorate, lodged a complaint with the Chennai Commissioner of Police. He stated that unknown persons gained unauthorised access to the online financial portal to transfer the money without consent.
The fraudulent transactions involved 46 transfers to various companies and individuals across the country. The complaint notes that the transactions used credentials linked to Block Development Offices in the Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, and Tiruppur districts.
Investigators are examining whether the fraudsters compromised login credentials, the banking portal, or authentication systems like OTPs. The Chennai Central Crime Branch's Cyber Crime Wing has registered an FIR and is investigating the matter.
The department has requested the police to freeze the beneficiary accounts and trace the diverted funds to facilitate recovery to the government account.