A senior IAS officer has filed a cyber fraud complaint after being duped during an online Sari Purchase.
Pallavi Akurathi, a 2009-batch Karnataka-cadre IAS officer and Additional Mission Director of Sakala Mission, has lodged a cybercrime complaint after falling victim to an online shopping scam.
The Incident
Ms. Akurathi attempted to purchase a Madurai Sungudi cotton sari from Poornima Collection, a vendor advertising on YouTube. After selecting the sari, she:
Sent a screenshot via WhatsApp
Paid ₹850 (including shipping) on March 10
Despite payment confirmation and repeated assurances, the vendor never dispatched the product and later stopped responding to calls and messages.
Legal Action Taken
The East Division Cybercrime Police registered an FIR under:
IT Act, 2000
Section 318(4) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 (cheating & dishonestly inducing property delivery)
Why This Matters
While the amount may seem small, Ms. Akurathi highlighted that this could be part of a larger scam network exploiting online shoppers. Police are now:
Tracking the money trail through bank details
Investigating the vendor’s digital footprint
This case serves as a public alert about rising e-commerce frauds—even seasoned administrators aren’t immune. Authorities urge citizens to:
