Cyber fraudsters duped a Pune-based elderly woman of Rs 8 lakh using a deepfake video of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.The victim is a 62-year-old resident of Guruganesh Nagar in Kothrud, and she lodged the First Information Report (FIR) in this case on Friday.As per the FIR, the complainant came across the deepfake video on Facebook on December 12, 2025. Being a ‘patriot’ who likes to serve the nation, the woman saw the complete video in which Sitharaman asked people to invest in Government of India projects, purportedly saying it will help in the development of the country, the FIR stated.Sitharaman is also seen saying in the fake video that the investment in government projects was safe and would be a valuable contribution. The video further asked citizens who want to invest money to fill up a form.Believing that the video was original, the woman filled out the form. Following instructions in the video, she also uploaded her personal information like Aadhaar card, mobile number, photograph, and other details on an online application.Soon, the woman received a Telegram ID from the cyber fraudsters, who also added her to a Telegram channel comprising about 250 members. The channel admin, identifying himself as Suresh, asked her to invest money in the share market, assuring huge profits, the FIR stated.Accordingly, the woman went on transferring her money to the bank accounts and UPI IDs given to her by the fraudsters. The police said she transferred a total of Rs 8,09,106 to different bank accounts used by the fraudsters, through multiple online transactions till May 24, 2026.Story continues below this adLater, she called ‘Suresh’ and spoke to his ‘manager’ for withdrawing the money she had invested. But they asked her to transfer more money. She then realised that cyber fraudsters cheated her using an AI-generated deepfake video of Nirmala Sitharaman.She then filed a complaint at the Cyber police station of Pune city police. After verification of her complaint, an FIR was lodged against the unidentified cyber fraudsters under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 318(4), 319(2) and Section 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act.Earlier this month, another Pune resident had lodged an FIR at the Cyber police station describing how online fraudsters duped him of Rs 1.07 crore using a deepfake video of Sitharaman.Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. 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