A major cyber fraud case has surfaced in the city after a woman was allegedly cheated of over Rs 3.75 crore through a deepfake video featuring spiritual leader Sadhguru promoting a fake trading platform. The complainant, Varsha Gupta, a resident of CV Raman Nagar, told police that she stumbled upon the video while browsing YouTube on February 25, 2025. Unaware of deepfake technology, she believed the digitally altered video of Sadhguru to be genuine and clicked on the link provided.
Woman Transfers Rs 3.75 Crore Over Sadhguru’s Deep Fake Video
According to the FIR, Gupta was then contacted by a man identifying himself as Waleed B, who claimed to represent a firm called Mirrox, as per a report on Indian Express. Using multiple UK-based numbers, he added her to a WhatsApp group with nearly 100 members, conducted trading tutorials over Zoom, and later introduced another person, Michael C, as a substitute trainer.
The fraudsters allegedly manipulated Gupta by showing fabricated profit screenshots and fake credits in the app, convincing her to make repeated transfers to accounts they provided. Between February and April, she invested Rs 3.75 crore across several transactions, reported NDTV.
Trouble arose when she attempted to withdraw her supposed returns. The scammers demanded additional fees for processing and taxes. After she refused, all communication was cut off.
A senior officer said police are coordinating with banks to freeze linked accounts, but the late filing of the complaint—nearly five months after the last transaction—makes recovery difficult. The case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Meanwhile, in June, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and the Isha Foundation sought legal safeguards from the Delhi High Court against the misuse of his identity in deepfake videos.
Taking to X, Isha Foundation said, “It has come to our notice that various scams are circulating on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Telegram using @SadhguruJV’s videos and images and also cloning his voice. PLEASE NOTE: Sadhguru does not – and will never – endorse or promote any financial scheme, or any other product.“
ALSO READ: Jadavpur University Third-Year Student Found Dead On Kolkata Campus
