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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.

‘Low vitamin D giving kids back pain and irritable mood’

‘Low vitamin D giving kids back pain and irritable mood’ 

KGMU TALK TIMES 

NEWS NETWORK  29.09.2024

Lucknow : If a child complains of back pain frequently and shows signs of irritability, it could be a deficiency of vitamin D, a growing concern among children today. Experts from KGMU’s orthopedic surgery department have reported increase in children with similar complaints, which, on investigation, revealed low vitamin D levels. This was shared by Prof Shah Waliullah during the spine conclave organised by KGMU, in which 150 delegates participated and 50 spine surgeons attended a cadaveric workshop. 

Prof Mayank Mahindra revealed that one in every four patients complaining of back pain was a child, a statistic that raises concern. He explained that causes range from vitamin Ddeficiency and sedentary lifestyles to poor posture and more serious underlying conditions. Dr G P Gupta, president of the Lucknow orthopedics asso ciation, added that among those under 20 years of age, back pain was often linked to conditions like deficiency of vitamin D. “This deficiency is critical for bone health, leading to issues such as rickets, impaired bone mineralisation, and delayed growth,” he said. 

Recent studies stress role of vitamin D in calcium absorption and bone development. “A lack of vitamin D can lead to brittle bones, making children more prone to fractures and deformities,” he added. For individuals aged 20 to 40 years, back pain is mostly due to prolonged sitting and inactivity, while for those over 40, conditions like osteoporosis become significant. Dr Waliullah pointed out that modern lifestyles, with less exposure to sunlight, are worsening vitamin D deficiency in children. “Children now spend more time indoors, limiting their exposure to natural sunlight, the main source of vitamin D,” he remarked.

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.

Cockroach in AI Delhi-NY flight meal

Cockroach in AI Delhi-NY flight meal 

29.09.2024 

New Delhi : A passenger flying Air India from Delhi to New York complained about a cockroach in her meal on Sept 17, which led to her two-year old son falling ill. The airline said it was investigating the matter and would ‘take necessary actions’. A post from the X handle of @suyeshasavant said: “Found a cockroach in the omelette served to me on the AI flight from Delhi to New York. My 2-year-old finished more than half of it with me, when we found this. Suffered from food poisoning as a result (sic.).” 

In a statement, the airline said it was aware of the matter. “Air India works with reputed caterers who supply to leading airlines globally and have stringent SOPs and multiple checks to ensure quality of meals served to our guests. We are concerned about the experience of the customer in the said instance and have taken it up with our catering service provider to investigate it further. We will take necessary actions to prevent any recurrence of such instances in future.” TNN

As Gaya pind daan goes online, tech vs tradition fight unfolds

As Gaya pind daan goes online, tech vs tradition fight unfolds

29.09.2024 TIMES OF INDIA 

Gayawal Pandas have for generations maintained records of the family antecedents of all their patrons. Now, as many choose online pind daan for their ancestors, the community fights to keep its hold over the path to moksha Manoj Chaurasia & Poulomi Banerjee | TNN

 When NRI Baljit Singh Kanda visited Gaya from Canada earlier this year to perform pind daan for his ancestors, his biggest worry was the missing details. All he knew was that his ancestors were from a village in Punjab’s Jalandhar. But who were they? What were their names? Kanda was referred to Heeranath Darhiwale, a priest or panda. Heeranath had all the details in handwritten ledgers locked in a steel almirah. After that it was a breeze. Kanda could perform the rituals he had come here for, and went back to Canada a happy man. Pind daan is a ritualistic offering made to liberate an ancestor’s soul from the eternal cycle of rebirth. And, according to Hindus, Gaya is the best place for that. This Bihar town is named after the mythological character Gayasura, an asura killed by Vishnu. It is believed Gayasur had received the boon that if people perform pind daan here, the souls of their ancestors will attain moksha. It is now, during the ongoing annual Pitrapaksha Mela — a 16-day period before Navratri dedicated to paying homage to the departed — that Gaya sees its biggest crowds. 

An estimated 20 lakh people offer pind daan here during this period. The Falgu river, the Vishnupad temple and the Akshay Vat tree are believed to be the most holy spots for the ritual, in a list of 54 such. The Gayawal Pandas, a community of Brahmins who believe they were born of Brahma’s image, claim exclusive right to conducting last rites and pind daan rituals in the city, and for generations have maintained records of the antecedents of their clients. Different families of Gayawal Pandas 9/29/24, 9:50 AM Times of India ePaper chennai - Read Today’s English News Paper Online https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-chennai.cms 1/6 are said to have traditionally served those from different regions of the country, with many claim ing to have records dating back 300 years. In recent years, however, the pandas are finding their exclusive hold challenged by technology. For years having scoffed at even digitising their records, fearing they will be hacked, they now have to contend with something which has come to be known as online or ‘e’ pind daan’. 

This involves a representative, usually a Brahmin appointed by a panda or religious body or service provider, performing the ritual in Gaya for a person keen to do pind daan here, but unable to travel. Bookings are received over the phone, WhatsApp, email or through a website, and the client either joins in on video call, or receives a video recording and photos of the procedure later. Custodian Of Records The family of Heeranath Darhiwale, who solved the problems of Kanda of Canada, has been conducting pind daan rituals of those from undivided Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh for generations. He claims to have handwritten records dating back 250 years. “Pilgrims get emotional seeing the address details and signatures of their ancestors in the ledgers,” says Darhiwale. The records are maintained under three categories — an alphabetical index of the village and region of patrons and visitors, their signatures with address details and details of profession and workplace.These are neatly bound in red cloth and stored in steel almirahs, to be passed down generations of pandas. 

According to Mahesh Guput, a senior member of the community who attends to pilgrims coming from Delhi, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, the pandas have to be on constant alert to ensure that the record books are not destroyed by white ants, moisture or other weather conditions. “We occasionally dry the records in the sun, spread neem leaves or use other antibacterial drugs to preserve them,” says Guput, 72. Shambhu Lal Bitthal, the chairman of the Vishnupad Temple Management Committee, points to a 142-year-old record of an Assam resident. He also shows the laminated authority letters purportedly given by the then Queen of Baroda and Gaekwad Estate to maintain the records of their families. “They (handwritten records) are our lifeline, and also the source of joy for pilgrims,” says Bitthal, who attends to those from Gujarat and the North-East. @Ease Of Moksha 

In a town that prides itself on history, the concept of online pind daan has proved to be something of a thorn in the flesh for many. “If I show you the photo or video of a glass of water, will it quench your thirst?” asks Gajadhar Lal Pathak, secretary, Sri Vishnupad Management Committee, Gaya. The point he wants to make is that those who want their ancestors to attain moksha need to make the journey to Gaya to perform pind daan. There can be no short cut to moksha. Traditionally, clients reach out to their panda before arriving in Gaya and the panda not only performs the pind daan but also takes care of everything else, from their stay to food to buying the puja materials. But not only are some choosing to go the online way for pind daan now, but turning to apps and portals to make the arrangements for them even if they do want to visit the town to perform the ritual in person. Pitradev.com, founded by Varanasi-based Shashank Mishra 10 years back is one such, which claims to act as a bridge between pandas and those seeking to perform ritualistic ceremonies in the holy towns of Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar, Gaya and Nashik. Services offered include pind daan, ashthi visarjan (the immersion of ashes after cremation of the deceased) and shraadh (lastrite rituals) — both for those seeking to perform the rites in person, as well as online services for those who can’t travel. For online pind daan, the Pitradev. com website mentions:

 “In Gaya pind daan online is not recommended because Gaya is final destination for pind daan… it is always recommended to go physically to Gaya.” Still, Mishra admits to getting requests and has helped a few clients perform online pind daan in the Bihar city. ‘We Were The First’ On its portal pinddaangaya.bihar.gov. in, one of the packages the Bihar govt offers for the 2024 Pitrapaksha Mela is online pind daan. “We were the first to offer the service in 2016-17,” claims a source in the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC). Priced at Rs 21,500 plus taxes, the package for 2024 includes the dues of the panda and pandit, the cost of commodities required for pind daan at the three spots of Vishnupad Temple, Akshay Vat and Falgu river and the cost of video recording the procedure and pen drive. “Those interested contact us with family details. We then reach out to a panda who appoints a Brahmin as representative for the family doing the pind daan, and performs the rituals,” says the source, adding that five days into the 2024 Pitrapaksha Mela, the BSTDC had already received  about seven-eight requests for online pind daan. The service is also provided by the Gaya centre of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). “The families join in on Zoom call, while a representative (Brahmin) here performs the rituals on their behalf,” says Jagdish Shyam Das, president, ISKON Gaya, adding: “There is no fixed charge, patrons pay what he can for the service.” There are also apps that live stream pujas — such as pind daan in Gaya. Those interested can make a booking, send in their family details and participate online.