New Delhi, June 15: In a major action against cyber-enabled financial crimes, the Cyber Police Station of Delhi Police’s Shahdara District has busted an online investment fraud racket linked to transactions of approximately Rs 1.56 crore and arrested two persons for allegedly operating mule bank accounts used to route and conceal proceeds of cyber fraud.

According to police, the accused were actively facilitating cybercriminals by providing and managing bank accounts used to receive the money obtained by cheating and transferring it further to obscure the financial trail. Several digital devices and incriminating evidence have been recovered during the operation.

The case was registered as e-FIR No. 90/26, dated April 9, under Sections 318(4)/319/340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at PS Cyber, Shahdara, following a complaint by a woman resident of GTB Enclave, Delhi.

The complainant alleged that she was cheated out of Rs 21 lakh through an online investment scam. She stated that in April, she came across a Telegram advertisement promoting stock market investment opportunities with promises of high returns. After joining the group, fraudsters posing as investment experts induced her to invest money in multiple instalments.

However, when she attempted to withdraw her returns, she was denied access and subsequently blocked from all communication channels, after which she realised she had been defrauded.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, a dedicated team comprising Inspector Ashwani Kumar, Head Constables Dhanesh, Anuj, Vikas, and Mahipal was constituted under senior supervision.

Based on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, police teams conducted raids in Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha and Moradabad districts, leading to the arrest of two accused identified as Mohd Sadik, 32, of Moradabad and Javed Ansari, 34, of Amroha.

During interrogation, the accused admitted to knowingly providing and operating bank accounts used in cyber fraud activities. They were in regular contact with associates through WhatsApp, who used these accounts for committing online investment scams and routing illicit funds.

Police said these accounts were being used as mule accounts to layer transactions and hide the money trail. Preliminary investigation has also indicated the involvement of a wider inter-state cyber fraud network.

Two mobile phones used in the offence, WhatsApp chats, and bank account credentials, along with financial records, have been recovered.

Further investigation is underway to trace the remaining accused, map the money trail, and recover the cheated amount.

Mumbai, June 14: The controversy surrounding alleged objectionable remarks made during stand-up comedian Pranit More’s show has further intensified as the Maharashtra Home Department has directed a detailed investigation into the video content available on his social media accounts and other digital platforms.

The investigation has been handed over to the Maharashtra Cyber Police. The cyber team will now examine videos from various shows of the comedian, viral video clips, and other online content as part of the probe.

Meanwhile, Pranit More issued an apology on Saturday amid mounting criticism over the viral “Rs 370 Biryani” clip, saying he deserved the backlash and requested people to give him one more chance.

In a video shared on Instagram, More said: “I wanted to talk to all of you about this, but my Instagram account was suspended. You have seen the crowd-work video circulating on social media, and I have been receiving a lot of hate because of it.”

The comedian admitted that he made a mistake by not intervening when inappropriate remarks were made during the performance.

“I feel I deserve this hate. During the crowd-work session, the man made several derogatory comments. Everyone was laughing, and I, too, got carried away. It was a lapse in judgment. I believe it was my biggest mistake. I could have taken a stand at that moment, but I did not,” he said.

More acknowledged that his reaction gave the remarks a platform and allowed the situation to escalate.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday summoned More and web developer Himanshu Jangra over remarks allegedly made during a stand-up comedy show in Gurugram. The commission stated that the comments appeared to glorify sexual coercion and non-consensual conduct towards a woman.

Significantly, KEM Hospital and Seth G.S. Medical College on Saturday sent MBBS student Sejal Pawar on a 15-day forced leave on Saturday following a controversy surrounding a viral social media video in which she allegedly made objectionable remarks during the same stand-up comedy show.

New Delhi, June 14: The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Madhya Pradesh has intensified its crackdown on suspected anti-national activities, continuing raids for the second consecutive day and arresting alleged mastermind and senior agent Naeem Qureshi in a major development in the case.

The arrested accused was taken into custody from the Sarangpur area of Uttar Pradesh and later produced before the court, where he was remanded to four days of ATS custody for further interrogation.

He is accused of sharing sensitive information with foreign elements, training Bhopal resident Mohammad Faraz, and planning to send him to Afghanistan. Evidence of jihadist literature, suspicious documents, and calls to Afghanistan and Pakistan have been found.

Officials said that during the investigation, evidence, including suspected jihad-related literature, suspicious documents, and financial transaction records linked to religious institutions, was recovered.

ATS sources further stated that digital examination of the accused’s mobile phone revealed communication with numbers based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Investigators also found evidence suggesting the accused used an application to communicate with foreign contacts.

The probe has also indicated that photographs and videos from multiple cities in Uttar Pradesh were allegedly being sent to Pakistan, raising concerns about a wider cross-state network.

Investigators suspect that the module may be spread across several states and could be operating in a sleeper-cell-like structure. Agencies are now working to identify additional members and establish the full extent of the alleged network.

A statement issued by the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) said the operation also led to further arrests and detentions. It said ATS arrested Haji Azhar from Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) and also brought a suspect from Nuh, Haryana, to Bhopal for questioning.

The agency further alleged that a handler based in Saudi Arabia was inciting youths for jihad-related activities.

Officials said the investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are likely as agencies continue to examine digital evidence, financial trails, and communication records connected to the case.