A professor of Kalyani University was allegedly duped of Rs 90,000 by an email scam that used her university vice-chancellor Manas Kumar Sanyal’s name.

Hindi professor Biva Kumari, a resident of Rishra, purchased 12 gift cards for Rs 7,500 each from an e-commerce site mentioned in the email.

“I couldn’t imagine the email was fake....the gift cards were meant to help a children’s trust,” she said, adding she bought the cards in response to three emails. When after refusing the fourth time, she called up Sanyal to apologise, she came to know he knew nothing about it.

On Sunday, she filed a complaint with Kalyani police, which was added to the original complaint lodged by registrar Debansu Ray on Saturday.

Starting Saturday, many staff, students and officials said they received the email, prompting the registrar to lodge the complaint against unidentified persons.

Some like Amalendu Bhunia, the dean of the arts faculty, became suspicious of the email and called up Sanyal to ask if he had indeed sent it.

The university has issued a notification asking people to not respond to such emails.

VC Sanyal said: “It is quite obvious that the email ID has been created with ill intentions and to malign the office of the vice-chancellor.”

Kalyani police have begun a probe. Sources said investigating officials are trying to locate the internet protocol address from where the purported mail was sent.