The case came to light after Elathur MLA Vidya Balakrishnan received a WhatsApp call from a man identifying himself as "Rajkumar" from Priyanka Gandhi's Delhi office. The caller allegedly claimed that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent in Kerala and that she could secure a ministerial position by paying ₹3 crore.

According to the MLA, the conversation immediately appeared suspicious. Instead of disconnecting the call, she continued the discussion to gather more information before informing senior Congress leaders and verifying the claim with Priyanka Gandhi's office.

The Congress MP's office confirmed that no such person was authorised to make the call and that the communication was fraudulent. Following the verification, Vidya Balakrishnan lodged a formal complaint with the Kozhikode Cyber Cell, which began an investigation into the alleged impersonation.

The probe has since widened after Priyanka Gandhi's private secretary filed a separate complaint. Police registered an FIR and revealed that similar WhatsApp calls had also been received by Congress MPs Shafi Parambil and Dean Kuriakose, suggesting that multiple public representatives were targeted using the same modus operandi.

Investigators have traced the origin of the WhatsApp calls to Delhi and are examining whether the incidents are part of an organised fraud network attempting to exploit political leaders through impersonation. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating by personation using computer resources.

Vidya Balakrishnan said she never believed the offer to be genuine, noting that ministerial appointments are not made through monetary transactions. However, she chose to report the matter after consulting the party leadership so that those responsible could be identified and prevented from targeting others.

Police are now analysing call records, digital evidence and the mobile number used by the accused. Officials believe further complaints may emerge if additional legislators or political leaders received similar calls.

The incident has once again highlighted the growing misuse of impersonation and digital communication platforms in fraud attempts. Authorities have urged public representatives and citizens alike to verify the identity of callers claiming to represent government offices or political leaders before responding to any financial demand.