NEWS TODAY 15.10.2024

 

Fraudsters hold Mala Parvathy in ‘virtual’ arrest for an hour

Fraudsters hold Mala Parvathy in ‘virtual’ arrest for an hour 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  15.10.2024 

Kochi : Actor Mala Parvathy on Monday claimed that fraudsters, pretending to be Mumbai police officers, held her in a virtual arrest for nearly an hour. They told her that a courier in her name was held back, but she managed to avoid the scam by acting quickly. Parvathy said the incident occurred when she was in Madurai for the shoot of a new movie. “I received a call around 10am. A man identified himself as Vikram Singh spoke to me and he said a courier was held back. They claimed that my Aadhaar card was misused to send an illegal package to Taiwan. When I asked him for more details, they asked for my address and bank account details. They said the package contained my passports, bank cre- dit cards, a laptop, and 200 grams of MDMA. They also sent an ID card claiming they were from the Mumbai crime branch and held me on a live call,” she said. 

Parvathy said it was a WhatsApp call and when she checked the ID card on Google, she realised that it was fake. Her manager also alerted her that it was a trap. Meanwhile, Parvathy is yet to lodge any complaint with the police regarding the incident.

After UGC nod, LU to offer 5 new courses in online mode

After UGC nod, LU to offer 5 new courses in online mode 

Admission To Be Completed By Nov 15 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 15.10.2024 

Lucknow : Lucknow University will offer online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Master of Arts (MA) in Sanskrit, Political Science, Economics, and English. The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday granted permission to LU to offer five additional courses in the online mode. The university started BCom, MCom, and MBA in the online mode from the academic session 2024-25. The online course degrees will be equivalent to their respective regular degrees. “We will shortly open the admission window for the new online courses. 

The admission process for these courses must be completed by Nov 15. All relevant information will be made available on the website www.luonlineeducation.in,” said varsity spokesperson Durgesh Srivastava. He said the BBA course consists of six semesters (three years), while MA courses comprise four semesters (two years). All study materials will be accessible to students online, and their queries will be addressed by mentors. Students will be required to visit the campus only once for the semester examination.

 “The advantage of introducing full-time courses in the online mode is that students can pursue the course from any part of the country. Furthermore, this benefits several working professionals, students from humble backgrounds, and those who cannot leave their villages and districts to attend regular classes,” he added. LU has already initiated the online teaching process through the Lucknow University Centre for Online and Distance Education (LUCODE) from the 2023-24 session. BCom and MCom courses have been conducted through the online medium since February 2024. The examinations for the first semester of this session were completed in offline mode last month.

320 medicos don white coats at KGMU’s induction ceremony

320 medicos don white coats at KGMU’s induction ceremony 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 15.10.2024 

Lucknow : A vibrant atmosphere of excitement and anticipation filled the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Convention Centre as 320 students, including 250 aspiring doctors for MBBS and 70 future dentists for BDS, embarked on their medical career during an induction ceremony at King George’s Medical University (KGMU). As students donned their white coats, dreams sparkled in their eyes, and a sense of success radiating from their faces. The rank holders of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) entered the auditorium with their families, warmly welcomed by KGMU faculty members, marking a significant milestone in their lives.

Many students were the first in their families to pursue a medical career. Vinay Vishwakarma, a boy from Sultanpur, shared, “My elder brother is a dentist; He inspired me to pursue a career as a doctor.” He expressed his aspiration to complete his studies and establish a hospital in his village to provide care for the less fortunate. Arshi Khan from Lucknow attributed her success to her mother’s unwavering support: “My mother always ensured I had everything I needed to focus on my studies. Her belief in me paved the way for my success.” Shweta Kumari from Bihar, who qualified for NEET on her first attempt, remarked, “I aspire to serve society as a good doctor. My father was always there for me.” 

KGMU vice chancellor Soniya Nityanand encouraged the students to pursue their passions while remembering the responsibilities they owe to their families and society. The ceremony also featured dean of medicine, Prof Amita Jain, administering the Charak Shapath (oath) to the new students, a tradition at KGMU symbolising their commitment to ethical medical practice. Proctor Prof Kshitij Srivastava briefed the students on anti-ragging measures before they were escorted to their hostels.

Pension benefits to ex-servicemen apply from date of discharge: HC Chandigarh :

Pension benefits to ex-servicemen apply from date of discharge: HC Chandigarh : 

15.10. 2024

In an order having wide ramifications for pension cases of military veterans, Punjab and Haryana HC has made it clear that pensioners will be entitled to benefits from the date of discharge from service, not from the date of a court/tribunal order awarding the pension benefits, reports Ajay Sura. Allowing a plea by ex-serviceman Jaspal Singh, a division bench quashed an order by Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Chandigarh, awarding pension benefits to the petitioner from the date of its order (April 5, 2019). The bench ruled that the petitioner was entitled to service pension “from the date whereon the same accrued to him, along with 7% interest per annum”.

Beware! Don’t get ‘arrested’ by scammers CYBER THREAT Digital Detention: 24 Cases Reported In City This Yr So Far

Beware! Don’t get ‘arrested’ by scammers CYBER THREAT Digital Detention: 24 Cases Reported In City This Yr So Far 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  BHOPAL  15.10.2024

 Bhopal : Imagine this: You’re going through your daily routine, when out of the blue you receive a call from a “cop”, who tells you that you're under investigation for a serious crime or that a family member has been arrested for a crime. Panic sets in. You try to jog your memory— what did you do wrong? Before you can wrap your mind around anything, the caller says you’ve been linked to a money laundering or a drug trafficking case, and if you don't pay a fi ne or cover legal fees immediately, an arrest warrant will be issued. 

This is the new terrifying cyber-crime, the ‘digital arrest’ scam, which is catching people off guard and stealing their hard-earned money. Around two dozen cases of digital arrest were reported with the Bhopal cyber crime branch this year, including one in which a retired Navy Commodore was kept under digital arrest at his home by cyber-criminals posing as senior officers of Mumbai police. The retired official was duped of around Rs 68.49 lakhs. Senior police officers say that the situation is much worse as many cases are still not reported to the police, especially those cases where in people do not fall into the trap of fraudsters.

A senior officer said that a person falls into the trap of cybercriminals either through text messages on WhatsApp or Telegram, or through a phone call. People should think before making any decisions while talking to a stranger over a phone call, and they should verify whether the information is true, the official said. He said that the Bhopal cybercrime branch and the state cybercrime headquarters issue advisories  from time to time, alerting people that there is no legal provision for ‘digital arrest’, and citizens should remain cautious of misleading messages, particularly those related to bank accounts, insurance, and pensions. 

A few months ago, an exNavy officer was allegedly held under ‘digital arrest’ at his home for two days and was duped of Rs 68.49 lakh by cybercriminals. They concocted a false story that a parcel carrying drugs (MDMA) was booked from Mumbai to Taiwan using the officer’s Aadhaar Card. The fraudsters impersonated officials of an international courier agency and DCP (crime branch) of Mumbai police. They threatened to frame him in a drug smuggling and money laundering case and siphoned the money. They instructed him to post ‘present sir’ on the Skype video call every half an hour. He could not sleep for the next 48 hours. However, there have been two cases, which showcase how people managed escaped this scam with their awareness and presence of mind.

Recently, an Awadhpuribased professional, whose son studies in an institute in another state, received a phone call from a cybercon in which the fraudster threatened him, claiming they had kidnapped his son and demanded a ran som. The man was left shocked and immediately disconnected the fraudster's phone. As he called his son's mobile number, the same fraudster picked up the call and threatened him again. The man was worried but did not lose his calm. He immediately called his son's college principal and found out that his son was safe in the college canteen.

In another case, cybercriminals tried to dupe the parents of a youth, who hails from Dehradun and studies at a national institute in Bhopal. The accused threatened his parents, claiming they had kidnapped their son. As the youth’s father tried calling his son’s number, it was unreachable. He then called the college and found that his son was safe. Both cases have been reported to the police. A senior officer said that the scam is spreading rapidly, with cons preying on the fear that people have for law enforcement and govt agencies.

These criminals have refined their approach, using modern technology and psychological manipulation to intimidate their victims into making hasty financial decisions. Additional DCP (crime branch) Shailendra Singh Chouhan said that cybercriminals target people only through phone calls or messages. People should verify whatever the fraudsters are claiming over unknown phone calls and messages and take further action. They should not act in a hurry.

Slice of justice: Man’s legal battle over 24 paise ends with ₹1,000 fine

Slice of justice: Man’s legal battle over 24 paise ends with ₹1,000 fine 

He Had Sued A Pizza Chain For Rounding Off Bill 

Saeed.Khan@timesofindia.com  15.10.2024

Ahmedabad : What started as a fight for 24 paise spiralled into a hefty Rs 1,000 fine! A man took a local pizza chain to court, alleging he had been overcharged by just a fraction of a rupee under the pretext of rounding off the bill. However, the consumer commission did not share his sense of outrage. Calling the case a “mockery of justice” and a waste of its time, the commission slapped him with a penalty. 

Patel’s fight for pocket change ended up costing him dearly. Prashant Patel from DetrojRampura village took legal action after visiting a pizzeria on Jan 10 this year. The eatery presented him with a bill of Rs 665 for pizza and soft drinks, but Patel argued that the actual amount should have been Rs 664.76 after applying a discount and GST. Patel objected to the extra 24 paise, which he believed was overcharging. He was told that his complaint would be conveyed to the management and he would receive a message regarding the issue or refunded the excess if he had been charged wrongfully or by mistake.

When the restaurant did not respond, he escalated the issue to the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission in Gandhinagar. The complainant submitted that under the pretext of rounding off the final amount, the restaurant charged more from its customers, revealing its intention to earn more. He argued that it should be fined heavily to stop it from duping its customers. 

The restaurant defended itself, explaining that the bill was rounded off according to official guidelines. It argued that the billing software was set up to follow official rules while generating bills. The legal battle for such a paltry sum irked the consumer commission, which stated, "The complaint was filed to recover 24 paise from the opponent (eatery), which is a mockery of justice and painful. The opponent submitted that the bill was generated by rounding off the amount according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and govt guidelines. The complainant filed a false complaint and misled the commission.

 In our view, the complaint appears frivolous, and the commission's precious time has been wasted by filing this complaint to get only 24 paise." The commission ruled in favour of the restaurant, dismissing Patel’s claim and ordering him to pay Rs 1,000 as a penalty with the State Consumer Welfare Fund.