Secretariat staffers hit by flurry of fake int’l calls Fear Their Personal Data Hacked From Govt Records

Secretariat staffers hit by flurry of fake int’l calls Fear Their Personal Data Hacked From Govt Records 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 05.12.2024  BHOPAL 

Bhopal : Employees of the Madhya Pradesh state secretariat are receiving an alarming flurry of fake calls and missed calls from international numbers. The numbers being targeted are those registered with the govt. The employees’ union has complained about this to the general administration department. At least 60 employees have complained through the union, fearing that their database is being hacked or leaked from govt records. The employees union reported that for the past few days, a number of employees in the secretariat are receiving international calls on their mobile numbers. The employees who received the calls were asked to click on different numbers on their mobile keypad if they wanted to continue mobile service. Many employees did not answer the calls for fear of being conned. 

On Nov 19, many secretariat employees received calls simultaneously from international numbers. When the employees searched the numbers on the Internet, they found they were from the US, South Africa, Arab countries, and other countries. This has been ongoing for the past few days. On Friday, retired govt employees and pensioners al so received similar fake calls. The employees union stated that such suspicious international calls are coming only to those numbers registered with the general administration dept. 

Those employees or officials who have more than one number have received calls only on the number they provided to the govt. The officers and employees brought this complaint to the notice of the employees union. Employees fear that the data of officers and employees secured with the govt has been leaked to fraudsters.

The employees union has submitted a memorandum in this regard to the general administration dept and has demanded an inquiry into the matter. The list of numbers on which the calls have been received has also been submitted to the govt. Breaching the data secured with the govt, if it has happened, is a serious matter, the employees stated. Sudhir Nayak, president, Mantralaya Seva Adhikari/ Karmchari Sangh, said it is a serious matter and needs immediate govt attention. At least 60 employees have contacted him and complained in this regard. Similar complaints were received from pensioners too. Govt data and records must be protected from being compromised, he added. 

Secretariat staff attend fire safety drill Bhopal : A fire drill was conducted at the state secretariat recently. The employees were briefed on how to use fire extinguishers and react in case of a fire incident. The drive was conducted under the supervision of Vallabh Bhawan chief security officer, Avinash Sharma. A similar drive was conducted in Satpura Bhawan and Vindhyanchal Bhawan recently. Employees were briefed on how to attend to those injured in the fire until medical assistance arrives. Close to a hundred employees were present when the fire personnel briefed them during the fire drill. Vallabh Bhawan I building caught a major fire on Mar 9. The alertness has been stepped up after the incident.

Man exposes markscard racket, edu academy owner in custody

Man exposes markscard racket, edu academy owner in custody

Chaithanya.Swamy@timesofindia.com

Bengaluru : A 46-year-old real estate dealer has exposed a fake markscard racket run by a distance education academy in Ramarao Layout of Katriguppe, Banashankari II Stage in south Bengaluru. Following his complaint, Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have arrested Monish, 28, who runs the academy and are probing. Mirza Inamul Huq, a resident of Palace Guttahalli, approached CCB police recently, informing them about the racket run by Mercury Academy, Distance Education Centre. Huq’s nephew, Mirza Nameath Ul Huq, 28, who studied until class 10, wanted to continue his studies in correspondence (distance) education. They called the mobile number 9739770484 mentioned in the academy’s portal. Monish picked the call and introduced himself as the head of the academy. Monish claimed that they were affiliated with many reputed universities and suggested Huq visit the academy to know more.

Accordingly, Huq took his nephew to the academy on Oct 20 for PUC admission . Monish allegedly told Huq not to worry about the exam as they have links with the officials in the education board and universities. He would manage to get the markscard without exam in a month or two if they were ready to pay Rs 2 lakh. Certificate for Rs 2 lakh Huq asked him to get admission for Nameath, if not they didn’t want any kind of business with him and walked out. Monish called him the next morning and explained how their connections were with the universities and suggested he not waste his nephew's two years in making him appear for the exam. He also sent a few markscards as evidence to convince them that they were genuine and provided a link to Karnataka State Council of Intermediate And Higher Education ‘www.karnatakastatecouncil.in’ to check them by entering the enrolment number and serial number of the sample markscard sent to him.

He said the officials and universities would issue the markscard with a previous year's date and managed to convince Huq to share details of his nephew, including a photo and SSLC markscard. Huq made an online payment of Rs 10,000 to 9739770484 through a digital payment application on the same day as a registration fee. Monish claimed to have registered Nameath’s name and, citing course fee and bribe, collected Rs 1 lakh more from Huq. On Monday, Monish asked Huq to collect his nephew’s PUC markscard from the academy by paying the remaining amount.

Huq’s plan was to expose the racket with evidence. After learning that the markscard was ready, he approached CCB police and filed a complaint. As per the instructions, he went to the academy to collect the markscard, and the CCB sleuths in plainclothes caught Monish red-handed. Police seized many documents, including markscards and other students’ details from the academy, along with electronic devices such as laptop. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 318 (cheating), 336 (forgery), and 340 (forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine).

Notice to bank after employee held for ₹3cr fixed deposit theft

Notice to bank after employee held for ₹3cr fixed deposit theft

Is There No Accountability Of Any Bank When Money Siphoned Off: HC

Rosy.Sequeira@timesofindia.com 04.12.2024

Mumbai : Bombay high court on Tuesday issued a notice to HDFC Bank and banking regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after it was informed that police had arrested an employee of the bank who allegedly siphoned off ₹3 crore from a customer’s fixed deposits. “Ultimately, people trust a particular bank ... A relationship manager takes a person for a ride. What faith now will people... a person have in the banking system?” asked Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan. 

The petition by Meenakshi Kapuria, 53, stated that her relationship manager, Payal Kothari, 27, broke her ₹3 crore worth of FDs and transferred the amount to fictitious accounts and from there into her own accounts. She received no SMS or email alerts. On Mon day, her advocate Rizwan Siddiquee said Kothari gained Kapuria’s trust and took blank signed cheques from her, assuring the money would be transferred to mutual funds, gold bonds, new fund offers, among others, earning her more than FDs. He said Versova police are putting pressure on Kapuria to settle the matter with Kothari. Prosecutor Kranti Hiwrale said police froze Kothari’s bank accounts, which had ₹30,000 in all.

The judges directed zonal DCP Dikshit Gedam to remain present. On Tuesday, Hiwrale said Kothari was arrested “this morning”. “Why does an arrest have to be made only when a complainant comes to the court? And you’re (police) asking parties to settle the matter?” asked Justice Mohite-Dere. Gedam said one more person could be arrested immediately. He said the investigation is transferred from PI Amol Dhole to senior PI Gajanan Pawar. Asked about action against Dhole, Gedam said a departmental enquiry will be initiated against him for  dereliction of duty. 

The judges questioned why Kapuria didn’t receive alerts. Gedam said Kothari changed her mobile number and email address in the bank’s records, “and that is why when the transaction was happening, the victim was not getting any kind of alerts”. The judges said, “This is extremely serious.” They enquired if the police did an investigation with the bank. Justice Mohite-Dere asked, “Is there no accountability of any bank when money is siphoned off under their nose?” Considering the manner in which the petitioner was cheated,” the judges directed HDFC Bank’s senior manager of Lokhandwala branch or regional manager in charge of Mumbai to be impleaded as well as RBI. Posting the next matter on Dec 13, the judges said they also want to also know the amount in Kapuria’s account before and after the Oct 30 FIR was lodged.

Con man poses as govt officer, cheats three of ₹7L Identified Himself As Chairman Of Dept Of Science, R&D

Con man poses as govt officer, cheats three of ₹7L Identified Himself As Chairman Of Dept Of Science, R&D 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 24.11.2024

Ahmedabad : The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) launched a search for Mehul Shah, a resident of Wankaner, who allegedly posed as a senior govt official and cheated three individuals out of Rs 7 lakh. Shah’s victims include a car rental company owner, a bouncer, and a painter, all lured by promises of lucrative deals or govt jobs. Pratik Shah, a car rental company owner, filed the complaint after being defrauded by Mehul Shah. The scam began on Sep 6, when Shah contacted Pratik, claiming to be a senior govt officer. He hired an SUV for Rs 3,500 per day, stating it was needed for daily office use. Shah subsequently insisted on modifications to the vehicle, including a siren, red light, white curtains, and a “Government of India” plate, presenting forged documents supposedly signed by a senior govt official. Pratik complied, even getting approvals from the RTO and police.

 Mehul also told him that he was a trustee at a university in the Asarwa area. He went on to hire two buses, purportedly to transport students on a picnic to Mount Abu, and rented additional vehicles for his relatives. In October, Mehul claimed that he got a promotion in the revenue department and requested a higher-end SUV. He agreed to Pratik’s quotation of Rs 7,000 per day, despite owing him substantial unpaid dues. To secure the arrangement, Mehul issued a work order forged with a signature as the chairman of the Department of Science and Research Development. The agreement was for three years. When Pratik demanded Rs 90,000 in unpaid bills, Shah provided a blank cheque, which bounced  due to insufficient funds. Shah then ceased all communication, and Pratik realised that he was defrauded. Pratik was cheated of Rs 1.6 lakh in total. 

Bouncer paid ₹3L to secure son’s job Pratik’s driver, Alpesh Padhiyar, revealed that Shah had requested a bouncer for security services. Alpesh referred his acquaintance, Vinod Bhambhi, whom Mehul lured with a govt clerk job for his son Vatsal at a fictitious ‘Asarwa University.’ He demanded Rs 3 lakh for the job from Bhambhi, who paid him to secure the job for his son. Shah handed Bhambhi a forged appointment letter on the letterhead of the District Education Officer (DEO), Ahmedabad City. However, when Bhambhi approached DEO RM Chaudhary for verification, the letter was confirmed to be fake. The complaint states that Mehul Shah did not even spare a man hired for painting work at the university, claiming he had purchased the institution. Shah duped Sipai of Rs 2.4 lakh by not paying for the painting work. TNN

When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

Chaithanya.Swamy@timesofindia.com 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : A 37-year-old married woman’s friendship with an Instagram acquaintance landed her in deep trouble as the latter extorted gold ornaments and cash from her using her nude photographs, which he also sent to her relatives and friends. He even contacted her husband, resulting in her being sent out of the marital home. Police took swift action and arrested the accused. 

According to the police complaint lodged by Radhika (name changed), she got married in 2012 and has an 11-yearold daughter. Her husband is in the real estate business. The couple developed differences over the past four years but they continued to live together. In early 2021, she befriended Abhishek M Naik, 24, a private firm employee, on Instagram. Naik had two accounts — ‘Abhi_373’ and ‘Abhishek_Naik_373’. After a few days of friendship on social media, the duo exchanged phone numbers and started texting regularly. Radhika shared with Naik her marital issues. He took advantage of her situation and counselled her. She felt comfortable with him, and the duo started making WhatsApp video calls, speaking for hours. 

Radhika considered Naik a trustworthy partner and started posing nude on the video calls. She also sent him nude photos and videos of herself. He also recorded her audio calls and saved the audio messages sent by her. Over time, the duo developed differences and Radhika started avoiding Naik. He then began blackmailing her for ransom by threatening to leak her nudes. She gave him gold ornaments and cash on multiple occasions. As he demanded more money and gold, Radhika informed him she didn’t have any more valuables to part with. He threatened to send her nudes to her family members and friends. Naik got in touch with her husband over phone and informed him about the affair. Her husband threw Radhika out of the house in May, and she and her daughter began living with her sister. 

She blocked Naik’s number and changed her mobile number thereafter. But he continued to be in  touch with her husband and managed to collect her and her family members and friends’ numbers. He again started harassing her and recently, collected the address of her sister’s house from her husband and came in search of her on Oct 5. She learnt he was showing her nudes to people in the area and asking for the address. He even showed the nudes to her sister’s office staff. They alerted her sister, after which Radhika lodged a complaint. 

A senior police officer said Radhika met Abhishek on multiple occasions and they were in a relationship. When she avoided him, he became possessive and wanted her back in his life. “We caught him red-handed when he was near her sister’s house and arrested him.” A case has been registered under Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 354C (voyeurism) & 384 (extortio

Man held for ‘digital arrest’ scam

Man held for ‘digital arrest’ scam 

Sindhu.Kannan@timesofindia.com 30.10.2024

Chennai : Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned people against falling prey to scamsters who threaten people with ‘digital arrest,’ an Ambattur resident lost ₹1.05 crore to fraudsters who used the ‘digital arrest’ method. The account to which the money had been transferred in three instalments, however, belonged to a Velachery resident K Sathishkumar, who floated a fake firm, opened a savings bank account and then sold it to cyber fraudsters. 

The Avadi cybercrime police traced Sathishkumar and seized three cell phones, seven credit cards, and ₹8,000. According to a complaint from Rameshkumar of Ambattur, he received a video call from a man who claimed to be a CBI officer. He told Rameshkumar that his name had been linked to a pending money-laundering case wherein Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra was the main culprit. It may be noted that Kundra was accused of creating and distributing porn films through apps and was arrested in Sept 2021. He is currently out on bail. Giving these details, the fake CBI officer told Rameshkumar that he was under ‘digital arrest’ and that he had to transfer the cash deposit in him bank accounts to several other accounts belonging to the ‘CBI’. 

He said the money would be returned to him in two hours if the ‘law enforcement agencies’ found him innocent. Till the ‘verification’ is complete, he should not reveal his ‘digital arrest’ even to his family members, he was warned. Believing the words, Rameshkumar transferred a total of ₹1.05 crore in three instalments. As there was no more communication from the other side, Ramesh Kumar realised that he had been cheated. He then lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) and approached the Avadi cybercrime wing. A team headed by cybercrime inspector Praveen Kumar tracked the account that belonged to Sathishkumar of Velachery. 

Inquiries revealed that he floated a fake firm in his name, opened a 

savings account and sold it to the fraudsters. Only on Monday, Prime Minister Modi asked people to be vigilant against “digital arrests” and said investigative agencies never contact individuals over phone or video call for such matters. The Prime Minister also said probe agencies were working with the states to deal with the issue.

‘Chinese national behind digital arrest racket’

‘Chinese national behind digital arrest racket’ 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 26.10.2024 LUCKNOW 

Lucknow : Following the arrest of two Nepalese nationals in connection with a digital fraud case in the city, the UP special task force (STF) said that a Chinese national could be the mastermind of the gang. The STF had arrested two persons, Saroj Khanal and Shivram Rimal, and found during preliminary investigation that the duo worked under a Chinese national, identified as Ben. According to DySP, STF, Deepak Kumar Singh, the arrested Nepalese suspects confessed that Ben lured them into financial fraud. He added that Khanal and Rimal had been executing digital arrest frauds throughout India for the last one years. Sources in the STF said that preliminary findings indicated that Ben created a network of operatives to expand his illegal operations across multiple states in India. During interrogation, Khanal and Rimal revealed that Ben operated alongside Chakre Milan, a prominent gangster from Nepal. Milan and his associates are known for involvement in illegal activities across Nepal and India

Fake ED team raids businessman’s house, tries to extort ₹5 cr

Fake ED team raids businessman’s house, tries to extort ₹5 cr 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 26.10.2024 

New Delhi : In real life imitating reel, a team of seven imposters masquerading as ED officers seemed to have taken a cue from Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Special 26’ as they ‘raided’ a businessman’s house in tony DLF Farms in Chhattarpur, Delhi on an Oct evening, ‘questioned’ him on huge cash withdrawals from his bank and pressurising him to ‘settle’ the matter with a payment of Rs 5 crore. Since cash was not available, the imposters waited all night at the victim’s house and took him to the bank the next morning to withdraw the money. While the accused and the victim were at the bank, the ED was alerted by the businessman’s lawyer who received a message from the victim about the “ED raids”. 

However, before the enforcement team and the local police officials, who were alerted by the ED, could reach the bank, the imposters fled when they got suspicious after the victim's lawyer wanted to see the identity cards of the raiding party. Some accused still at the house of the victim also ran away leaving behind their cars as the gates were locked. A hunt is on for the culprits.

 “The lawyer of the victim had reached the bank and had questioned the fake ED officers, and sought to see their ID cards. The imposters grew suspicious of being caught and ran away before they could be apprehended,” the ED said in a statement. An FIR has been registered by the Delhi Police and two vehicles belonging to the accused have also been seized from the victim’s house. Later, in his statement to the police, the victim said that seven people had come to his house on Oct 21 night in two cars claiming to be ED officers. Four of them were masked while three interacted with him unmasked. “They questioned the victim as to why he was withdrawing huge cash regularly from his bank account. They also carried with them some cheques of his old bank account and threatened arrest unless he agreed to pay them Rs 5 crore,” the ED has said.  So confident was the fake ED team, that when the businessman told the ‘raiding party’ that the money could be taken out only from the bank the next morning, the imposters decided to stay at his house the entire night. The next day, he was taken to the Kotak Mahindra Bank at Hauz Khas to withdraw the money

Blank screen? Might be a sextortion call

Blank screen? Might be a sextortion call 

NEW TRICK Dwaipayan.Ghosh@timesofindia.com 20.10.2024

Kolkata : Sextortion calls have become more sinister this festive season, said cops, with conmen having changed their modus operandi making it difficult for the potential victim to identify that the caller had planned to trap him.

 “Earlier, the moment such calls were made, the potential victim would see scantily clad or naked women at the other end. Ever since we began our awareness drive, citizens mostly now immediately end the video call giving less time to the accused to capture the video of the victim and use it for extortion. Now, when a victim picks up the call, he sees a blank or black screen. It takes him a few seconds to understand what was going on in his screen, leave aside ascertaining it to be a fraud call. This allows enough time for the accused to capture his image and superimpose it and then ask for extortion money,” said a senior cyber cell officer. 

Lalbazar on Saturday took to X platform to warn citizens on the changing modus operandi. Sources said at least four complaints in this regard have been received though no one till now has ended up paying the extortion money. A senior cop has drawn up a detailed list of do’s and don’ts for the city’s netizens.

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.

Two arrested for supplying fake marksheets

Two arrested for supplying fake marksheets 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Chennai : Two people, including a man who runs a media association in Rajamangalam, were arrested for preparing and supplying fake Class X and Class XII marksheets to people. The arrested were identified as Vijay Ananth alias Ananthan, 47, a resident of Vinayagapuram near Kolathur, and Langruf Ruben alias Jeremiah, 42, of Sekkadu near Avadi. Police said Ananthan had been running ‘Universal Press Media’ in Rajamangalam. After one of the staff found Ananthan preparing the forged documents of Class X and XII marksheets, a complaint was made. Based on the complaint, the Kolathur police registered a case and arrested Ananthan and Jeremiah. Police seized one laptop, one Central Processing Unit (CPU), one hard disk, one DVR recorder, two mobile phones, seven seals, 48 fake mark sheets, and three pen drives. The arrested duo was remanded in judicial custody after being produced before a magistrate court in the city

Brother rapes 15-year-old when she confides in him about rape by father

Brother rapes 15-year-old when she confides in him about rape by father

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK  09.10.2024

Bhopal : A 15-year-old minor’s father raped her several times over nearly two years and when she mustered the courage to tell her elder brother about it, he too raped her in Shivpuri district.

Police have arrested both the accused, and a probe is underway in the case. The incident took place in a village under Dinara police station of the district. As per the complaint made by the minor, her 56-yearold father raped her for nearly two years. When she informed her 19-year-old elder brother, he too raped her and even shot obscene videos of her . Dinara Police Station Incharge, Vinod Bhargav, said, “The family included the accused father, his elder son who is also an accused, the survivor, and her younger brother. The mother of the children left her husband a few years ago and went somewhere else.”

 “The minor then informed her younger brother and other members of her extended family, who then brought her to the police station. A case was registered on her complaint on Oct 6, and on Monday, the accused were produced before court, which sent them to jail. A detailed investigation was being carried out,” Bhargav said.

Block edu officer gets anticipatory bail in dead employee’s salary case

Block edu officer gets anticipatory bail in dead employee’s salary case 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 09.10.2024

Bhopal/Jabalpur : The Madhya Pradesh high court refused anticipatory bail to three accused but granted relief to one in a case involving the fraudulent withdrawal of salary for three years after an employee's death. Justice AK Paliwal, while hearing the matter, granted anticipatory bail to the current block education officer (BEO) of Niwas in Mandla district, Shobha Iyer, but denied the same to Vijay Kumar Shrivastav, assistant grade III in the BEO office, and two former BEOs, Ramnarayan Patel and Anand Ku mar Jain. 

A case was registered against them when it was discovered that the salary of a deceased govt employee, Gyan Singh Dhoomketu, who passed away on April 13, 2020, continued to be credited into the account of another person, Satish Kumar Burman, a computer operator. The fraudulent payments spanned the tenures of former BEOs Patel and Jain, with Vijay Kumar Shrivastav, a clerk in their office, allegedly colluding in the act. The court, however, noted that Shobha Iyer joined as BEO at Niwas only in March 2023 and immediately flagged the anomaly upon discovery, leading to her filing a complaint. 

Advocate Amrit Ruprah, representing Iyer, argued that her client, a 61-year-old woman, had no involvement in the embezzlement. Iyer was unaware of the irregularities until she assumed charge. It was Iyer who halted the disbursement of the deceased employee's salary and brought the matter to the attention of authorities. The court granted bail to Iyer, taking into account her limited involvement and her role in exposing the fraud. However, the court denied bail to the other accused, citing their direct responsibility during the period of the embezzlement

This Diwali, stay safe from scams too. Fake Sites Target Shoppers

This Diwali, stay safe from scams too.   Fake Sites Target Shoppers 

Ram.Sundaram@timesofindia.com 07.10.2024

Chennai : Supreme Court may have banned retailing of firecrackers online, but social media is awash in advertisements by fraudulent websites targeting Diwali shoppers. These scammers offer fireworks, at ₹2,000-₹3,000 per piece, with discounts of 80%-95%, showing videos of branded sky crackers and fancy fireworks. “A customer placing an order is given a UPI ID, QR code, or bank details to make an online payment and assured crackers will be delivered within a week. When questioned on delayed deliveries, the scamsters cite high demand. Within a few days, they shut the websites, switch off contact numbers, and vanish,” said Raja Chandrasekaran, President of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Fireworks Traders

In several cases, scammers not only disappear with the customers’ money, but also drain their accounts. “Many customers, hoping to recover their money, approach us for help. However, these sellers are not legitimate and don't even have a GST number, let alone the required fire licences,” he said. Some fraudsters deliver inferior quality firecrackers instead of branded ones that are promised. Madurai resident R Chidambaram who was scammed into paying ₹6,000 said, “What I received was nothing like what they advertised.” Such rampant fraud has forced GST authorities in Madurai to conduct surprise inspections. In one instance, they seized a truckload of substandard fire crackers without proper documentation. Legitimate fireworks traders, such as N Elangovan, blame licence delays for pushing customers towards online scams. 

“Issuing timely licences will let traders sell locally, reducing fraud,” he said. Permanent licence renewals in districts such as Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Ariyalur have been pending for weeks. Temporary licences in places such as Madurai and Coimbatore close just a week before Diwali. “By then, quality firecrackers from Sivakasi, the state's manufacturing hub, would be sold out, leaving traders with limited business opportunities and buyers vulnerable to online scams,” he said

Driver an employee, says HC, fines Ola ₹5.5L for inaction on abuse plaint

Driver an employee, says HC, fines Ola ₹5.5L for inaction on abuse plaint

Vasantha.Kumar@timesofindia.com 02.10.2024

Bengaluru : In a landmark judgment, Karnataka high court has ruled that under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act 2013), a driver-subscriber of a transport aggregator is to be considered as its “employee”. In view of this, the court ordered ride-hailing firm Ola to pay Rs 5 lakh as cost and an additional Rs 50,000 as litigation expenses to a woman petitioner-complainant for failing to act on her complaint. 

Justice MGS Kamal, in his judgment delivered on Sept 30, 2024, rejected Ola’s contention that it is merely an “intermediary” and partially allowed the petition filed by a woman from Bengaluru. Furthermore, the judge directed Ola’s Internal Complaint Committee to conduct an inquiry into the complaint dated Sept 30, 2018, in accordance with the provisions of the PoSH Act, 2013, and submit the report to the district officer within 90 days. 

The court also found the officers in charge of Karnataka State Transport Authority guilty of deliberate inaction and negligence in discharging their statutory obligations, imposing a penalty of Rs 1 lakh, payable to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority within 30 days. 

‘No jurisdiction’,  Firm, plaint panel claimed they had no jurisdiction to take action against driver 

The case dates back to Aug 23, 2018, when the complainant, a regular user of Ola, booked a taxi through the platform to commute from her residence in Yelahanka to her office in JP Nagar here. During the ride, she noticed the driver staring at her through the rear-view mirror in an uncomfortable manner. Much to her shock and horror, she then saw him watching a pornographic video clip on his phone, even as he was masturbating. Despite her repeated requests to stop the vehicle, the driver refused and insisted on dropping her at her destination. She finally managed to exit the taxi only near her workplace. 

Upon reaching office, the petitioner lodged a complaint against the driver on the Ola platform. However, although Ola executives informed her that the driver concerned had been “blacklisted” and would be sent for counselling and further training, the petitioner was not satisfied with the response and sought further action. Ola attempted to persuade her to close the complaint, but she remained firm in her demand for substantive punitive measures. Ola management and ICC claimed they had no jurisdiction to take any further action against the driver as there was no employer-employee relationship, and the actual perpetrator was an impostor who was not even authorised to drive the vehicle in question. However, the court rejected these arguments

How these twin brothers masked their sinister bond

How these twin brothers masked their sinister bond 

New Delhi : In the bustling streets of north Delhi, a tale of twin brothers, Vikas and Akash, unfolded like a gripping thriller. Born just 10 minutes apart, their faces shared an uncanny 60% resemblance, masking a sinister bond. Unemployed and adrift, they slipped into a world of crime. 

Vikas, the younger brother, had already earned notoriety at Burari Police Station, with 20 cases against him. Robbery, snatching and house theft — his rap sheet read like a catalogue of desperation. But what drew his elder brother, Akash, into this dark orbit? Their family's humble existence — a security guard father, housewife mother, two labourer brothers and two sisters — seemed worlds away from the twins' nefarious activities. Yet, it was within these walls that Vikas's addiction to drugs sparked a chain reaction, dragging Akash down with him five years ago.

As the brothers' crimes escalated, their cunning tactics fooled even the most seasoned cops. They exploited their twinship, switching names and alibis to evade capture. If Vikas committed a snatching, Akash would provide a fake alibi, claiming to be at a familiar location. When they worked together, the motorcycle rider would conceal his face. Their bike, registered in their father's name, became an instrument of crime. With no discernible pattern, they struck whenever their drug supply dwindled. Vikas's girlfriend proved another motivator — snatching to support her financial requirements. As police closed in, the twins attempted to conceal their twinship, hoping to preserve their anonymity. 

But police eventually unravelled their web of deceit, linking five cases to the duo. Now, cops are probing whether the twins drew inspiration from movies or other external influences. One thing is certain: the bond between Vikas and Akash has become a toxic force, driving them deeper into the shadows. “They had two methods of operation: if one was committing a snatching, the other would be at a shop so that if one was spotted on a CCTV, he could claim to have been elsewhere,” said DCP (north) Manoj Meena. TNN

Retd professor learns ₹1.8cr lesson after e-trading fraud

Retd professor learns ₹1.8cr lesson after e-trading fraud

 Ahmed.Ali@timesofindia.com 29.09.2024

 Mumbai : The cyber police in the city solved a case of online fraud and arrested two businessmen from Gujarat, in which a retired professor was deceived into investing in the stock market. The fraudsters persuaded the professor to join a ‘VIP Privilege WhatsApp group’, where they demonstrated a substantial profit of 30%, encouraging her to invest a total of Rs 1.80 crore. The North Region Cyber Cell has apprehended two businessmen, Gujan Baisania (36) and Saurabhkumar Sanghani from Gujarat, who had provided their bank accounts to the fraudster gang in exchange for a percentage of profits. 

Baisania and Sanghani run chemical and cosmetic manufacturing units in Gujarat. DCP Datta Nalawade and senior inspector Suvarna Shinde of North Region Cyber Cell said they have frozen the account of Sanghani, which has an amount of Rs 58 lakh. The gang had used these businessmen’s accounts to commit 33 offences in India, amounting to a sum of more than Rs 25 crore. The case came to light after a 71-year-old who retired from her position as a professor and lives on her pension encountered the scammers in Feb 2024 through an advertisement on Facebook  related to share market investment. 

She joined a WhatsApp group named ICICI Securities VIP 11, which was managed by an individual posing as CIO Rajiv Ambani. The group, which had around 65 members, appeared to be legitimate, even showcasing daily trading tips and profits from group members. Rajiv Ambani claimed to be a stock market analyst with 40 years of experience and assured group members they could profit from his trading advice. He charged a monthly fee of Rs 1,000 to provide investment tips. The complainant transferred this amount to a bank account provided by Ambani and received trading tips. Later, Ambani convinced the complainant to open an institutional share trading account that would supposedly yield a 30% profit.

His assistant, Laxmi, helped her download two fraudulent apps, MXICICER and EICICRE, which were designed to mimic the layout of genuine trading platforms. Under their influence, the complainant invested large sums from March to April 2024, with total investment of Rs 1.80 crore. To her shock, when she tried to withdraw the displayed profit of Rs 20.50 crore, she was asked to pay additional taxes. 

At this point, she realised she had been duped and filed a complaint with the cyber police. A case has been registered. “She has provided evidence of the scam, including screenshots of the fake apps, bank transactions, and her conversations with the fraudsters on WhatsApp. We are working to track down Rajiv Ambani, Laxmi, and others involved and the creators of the fraudulent apps,” said investigating officer Kiran Aher. Police have urged the public to be cautious of such scams and to verify before investing any money.

IAS officer faces death threat, ₹5cr demand

IAS officer faces death threat, ₹5cr demand 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  29.09.2024 

Lucknow : Additional MD of UPSRTC in Lucknow was threatened to be shot dead if he did not pay Rs 5 crore. He was later asked to pay Rs 1.5 crore. The IAS officer lodged a complaint, but the police have yet to get any lead. As per reports, the officer received a video call around 10pm on Sep 24. Thereafter, he got several calls from different mobile numbers and was told to pay Rs 5 crore or else a video featuring him would be go viral. Even telling the callers that he was an IAS officer failed to deter them from making extortion calls. Police said the officer was first asked to pay Rs 5 crore, and the caller and the person sending the message threate ned that if the money was not paid, a video of the officer would be made viral on social media.

According to the IAS officer, on Sep 25 and 27, he received calls and messages from different numbers and the callers had now reduced the demand to Rs 1.50 crore. In a message, the accused even wrote to the officer that he would kill him in the middle of the road. The officer complained to ACP Hazratganj Arvind Kumar on Friday and on the police officer’s direction, a case was registered at Hazratganj police station. Since the incident involved an IAS officer, police did not share the information with media. SHO, Hazratganj, Vikram Singh said location of the person calling and the one who sent the message was being traced.

Four offer Class 1 officer’s post for ₹2.5cr, held

Four offer Class 1 officer’s post for ₹2.5cr, held 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Ahmedabad : Four men have been arrested for drawing up an elaborate scam and conning job seekers by promising them coveted Class I officer positions. Over two years, the four accused individuals allegedly swindled six people out of a staggering Rs 3.45 crore, by promising them the posts of deputy collectors in the revenue and urban development and urban housing (UDUH) departments.

Following a complaint filed by Yogesh Patel, the city crime branch arrested Jaydip Tailor (37) from Isanpur, Jitendrakumar Prajapati (40) from Nava Vadaj, Ankit Pandya (36) from Naroda, and Hitesh Sen from Bapunagar for forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy among other charges. Yogesh reported that he, along with his friends Vijay Thakkar, Ankit Patel, Pradip Sharma, Atul Patel and Jigar Patel, fell victim to this elaborate ruse. He told police that he paid Rs 1.25 crore for the govt position, plus an additional Rs 1.5 lakh for a gun licence. 

Meanwhile, his friends collectively forked over Rs 2.17 crore and another Rs 1.5 lakh for Thakkar’s licence. In total, these four con artists pocketed Rs 3.45 crore from the six aspirants. Yogesh, who holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and law, as well as a master’s degree in commerce, had also pursued a chartered accountancy course up to the intermediate level. He met Prajapati regarding his admission to a law college. Prajapati in troduced him to Tailor, who claimed to have direct connections with senior govt officials and assured him of getting a govt job. According to the complaint, Yogesh told him that he wanted a govt job but was unable to crack the exams and interviews. Tailor informed Yogesh about a vacant deputy collector position in the Ahmedabad collectorate, demanding Rs 2.25 crore to get him the position. Patel was instructed to pay Rs 1.25 crore immediately upon receiving the appointment letter, with an additional Rs 1 crore to follow in instalments after starting the job. Yogesh began by paying Rs 5lakh as a token along with necessary documents.

 In Dec 2022, he  handed over Rs 16 lakh to Tailor, who assured him the appointment letter would arrive shortly. On Dec 20, 2022, he received a letter claiming to be from the Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC), complete with a govt ID number. It listed Yogesh’s name and address and directed him to re port within 10 days, signed by the Secretary of GPSC. Yogesh borrowed money from his friends and family to pay Rs 1.19 crore to Jaydip in instalments. Communication continued with Tailor and his accomplices, including officials named Sharma and Modha, who introduced him to Ankit Pandya. Six months later, Tailor mentioned about additional vacancies, prompting Yogesh to introduce Thakkar to him. Thakkar was promised a deputy collector position in Vadodara and later received appointment letter for the deputy director (UDUH) position. Other friends were also drawn into the scam, each making substantial payments for positions in various departments. 

They also made significant payments: Ankit Patel agreed to pay Rs 1.2 crore for an assistant manager position and paid Rs 20 lakh in instalments; Sharma agreed to pay Rs 2 crore of which he paid Rs 25 lakh for the deputy collector position in Mehsana; Atul paid Rs 30 lakh of the promised Rs 2 crore for joint director (UDUH) post at Gandhinagar secretariat; while Jigar paid Rs 22 lakh out of Rs 1.20 crore he promised for the assistant manager position in the industries and mines department. The con artists provided appointment letters through Saini and later requested a bond payment, which Patel complied with, paying Rs 6 lakh. 

They even extorted an additional Rs 1.5 lakh for an arms licence. As delays continued, Yogesh became suspicious. Tailor kept postponing job placements due to the Lok Sabha elections, finally arranging a meeting at the SBI Bank parking lot in Gandhinagar. There, they were introduced to Gamit and Ankit Pandya, who reassured them that job placements were forthcoming, stated the complaint. However, during a visit to Prajapati’s office in Aug 2024, Patel uncovered a shocking twist. He met Pandya driving a vehicle owned by Tailor. Prajapati found that Pandya was actually Tailor’s brother-in-law, exposing the entire fraud.

How twins evaded arrest for long time

How twins evaded arrest for long time

TIMES OF INDIA NEW DELHI 25.09.2024 

On Sept 21, a woman was purchasing fruits at Burari Chowk when two men on a motorcycle swooped in, yanked her chain, and sped off towards Sant Nagar. There had been a string of similar snatchings earlier. With CCTV footage revealing two suspects who seemed to be one, the question loomed: 

how do you catch a criminal who can literally double his alibi? Delhi Police had to win this game of cat and mouse. The investigation, led by inspector Ajit Kumar and SI Shubham, zoomed in on the registration number of the motorcycle and found out that it belonged to a father of twins, said DCP Manoj Meena.

The double alibi lay unmasked. Police raided several hideouts and, using CCTV footage, tracked the look alike twins’ movement, which led them to Harit Vihar. Within 24 hours, Vishal and Vikash were in cuffs. Their notorious snatching spree was over. During interrogation, the twins revealed how, when detained by police after a crime, they would use their facial likeness to confuse the investigation. They would either pretend to be the other sibling or claim innocence, saying they were elsewhere when the crime was committed. 

They were, in fact, picked up in some cases where CCTV provided clinching evidence but were let off due to lack of evidence. Investigation revealed that Vishal and Vikash have a history of robbery, snatching, theft, and Arms Act cases. Vikash, an active history sheeter of Burari police station, was released from jail in Nov 2023 and promptly resumed criminal activities with his brother. 

Vishal also has a history of crime with multiple theft and snatching cases registered against him, not just in Burari but also in Wazirabad and Mahendra Park. The twins' arrest’ solved six snatching cases in Burari. Police have recovered the stolen gold chain, weighing 15 grams, and seized the motorcycle. Cops untie twin tangle to solve 2-in-1 mystery 

New Delhi : It began as two much of a riddle. How can a suspect be in two places at the same time? Be caught on CCTV snatching a necklace while being clicked on another camera miles away at the same moment? It took a while, but Delhi Police solved this puzzle of faces with a number — a motorcycle registration number. Tracking a bike used in last week’s brazen daylight heist near Burari Chowk, police found its owner who turned out to be a father of twins. Police ended up nabbing two for the price of one, ending the terror run of 23 year-olds Vishal and Vikash. The carbon-copy siblings had exploited their twin advantage for weeks, leaving behind a trail of snatched gold and shattered lives.