Kozhikode: The investigation into a fake WhatsApp call offering a Kerala ministerial berth in exchange for ₹3 crore widened after police registered a case based on a complaint from Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi's private secretary. Investigators have confirmed that two Members of Parliament also received similar calls.

The Kalpetta Cyber Police in Wayanad registered an FIR following a complaint filed by DS Rajkumar, private secretary to Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, and launched an investigation into the alleged impersonation and cheating attempt. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating by personation using computer resources.

The FIR states that similar WhatsApp calls were made from mobile number 9540575524 to Elathur MLA Vidya Balakrishnan, Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil and Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose. The caller allegedly introduced himself as "Rajkumar" and claimed to be an official in Priyanka Gandhi's office.

Congress leaders confirmed that all three public representatives received identical offers. The caller allegedly claimed that the Kerala Cabinet was likely to be reshuffled and promised them ministerial positions in exchange for ₹3 crore.

The development comes days after Vidya Balakrishnan lodged a complaint with the Kozhikode Cyber Cell over the suspicious call she received on July 6. According to her complaint, the caller said he had obtained her phone number through another MP from Kozhikode district. The entire conversation was conducted in English.

Sensing that something was amiss, Balakrishnan did not reveal her suspicion and instead appeared to go along with the conversation in an attempt to gather more information.

After the call, she contacted the MP whom the caller had claimed shared her phone number. The MP informed her that he, too, had earlier received a similar phone call from a person claiming to be from the AICC headquarters and had shared the contact numbers of two MLAs from Kozhikode district.

The MLA and the MP subsequently contacted the Congress headquarters and Priyanka Gandhi's office, which confirmed that no such calls had been made by anyone associated with the MP's office.

Balakrishnan later filed a formal complaint with the Kozhikode Cyber Cell. During the preliminary investigation, police traced the origin of the WhatsApp call to Delhi.

The Kozhikode Cyber Cell had already begun an investigation into the complaint filed by the MLA. Following the complaint by Priyanka Gandhi's private secretary, the Kalpetta Cyber Police have now registered a separate FIR and expanded the probe into what appears to be a coordinated impersonation attempt targeting elected representatives.