CHENNAI: Avadi cyber crime police have arrested a 27-year-old man from New Delhi for allegedly cheating a manufacturing firm in Ambattur Industrial Estate of Rs 1.90 crore by impersonating its managing director.

Soundar Rajan, the firm's general manager, lodged a complaint in August stating that an accounting department staffer received a WhatsApp message that appeared to be from the MD, instructing an urgent transfer to a particular bank account for a confidential business deal. Believing the message to be genuine, the company transferred Rs 1.90 crore through RTGS.

When the MD was contacted for confirmation, he denied sending the message. Following which a complaint was lodged. The fraud was traced to Deepak Meena of Northeast Delhi, and a special team arrested him and brought him to Avadi.

His mobile phone, SIM cards and bank documents used in the crime were seized.

Meena was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. Police said he is part of a larger mule account network and efforts are on to trace other accused who supplied accounts and withdrew cash.

Police advised people not to rent out bank accounts and urged immediate reporting of cyber fraud to helpline 1930 or http://cybercrime.gov.in.