Crime
K’taka HM vows swift action after techie loses Rs 31.83 crore in ‘digital arrest’ scam
Bengaluru, Nov 18: Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Tuesday said the government would take firm action in the online fraud case involving the “digital arrest” of a 57-year-old Bengaluru tech professional who lost Rs 31.83 crore.
He confirmed that it is the largest online financial scam reported in Karnataka to date, adding that the people behind the digital arrest would not be spared.
Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said that the fraud took place over more than a year, involving about 187 transactions from the victim’s account. “She could have approached the police at any stage, and had she done so earlier, she would not have lost such a large amount,” he said.
He said the state had not witnessed a digital arrest case of this scale earlier. “We are treating the case with full seriousness and will trace those responsible,” he said.
“If she realised the fraud only after transferring money amounting to crores, it shows how deeply she was affected by the scam. Now that the case has come to light, we have taken it seriously. This is the highest-ever online fraud reported from our state. This is the first time such a large-scale digital arrest case has been reported and such a huge amount siphoned off,” Parameshwara said.
The Karnataka Home Minister also referred to a separate case in which people based in Karnataka had virtually detained individuals in the United States, pointing out that the method was not new to local investigators.
The incident came to light on Monday, when it was reported that a 57-year-old Bengaluru tech professional had lost Rs 31.83 crore to cybercriminals after being held in a digital arrest for more than six months.
Following a complaint at Bengaluru’s East Cyber Crime Police Station, the police launched a hunt to trace the gang.
The victim transferred Rs 31.83 crore in 187 transactions, exhausting nearly all her savings and deposits except her fixed deposits. The accused repeatedly assured her that the money would be returned by February after verification but kept delaying the deadline with one excuse after another.
Growing suspicious, the victim lodged a complaint with the cybercrime police on November 14. In the complaint, she stated that due to her son’s marriage ceremony, she could not approach the police early.
According to the police, the cybercriminals kept the victim under digital arrest for more than six months and severed contact after extorting the amount.
Her ordeal began on September 15, 2024, when she received a call from someone claiming to represent a reputed courier company, who told her that a package in her name — containing three credit cards, four passports, and banned MDMA — had been received at a courier centre in Andheri, Mumbai.
The victim told the caller that she lived in Bengaluru and had no knowledge of the package. He then warned her that, since the parcel was linked to her mobile number, it could involve cyber fraud and she needed to file a complaint. Before she could respond, her call was transferred to another person claiming to be an officer from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The accused prevented her from contacting the police or seeking legal help by convincing her that cybercriminals were monitoring her every move. They later issued direct threats, warning that if she revealed anything, her entire family would be implicated.
With her son’s wedding approaching, she yielded to the pressure and followed their instructions. The accused then contacted her via Skype, identifying himself as Pradeep Singh, and informed her that another associate, Rahul Yadav, would monitor her for a week. During this period, she was confined to her home, while the accused worked remotely from her residence.
On September 23 last year, the accused instructed the victim to declare her properties to the Reserve Bank of India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). After she disclosed her assets and cash, they extorted money from her in stages and even provided a forged clearance certificate.
The police said that the investigation is underway.
Crime
Delhi Police solve robbery case in 48 hours, arrest two

New Delhi, Nov 19: In a coordinated operation, the South-West District Police solved a robbery case within 48 hours, arresting two men who allegedly targeted a commuter in the Vasant Kunj area.
According to a press release issued by the district police on Wednesday, the accused, both 22 years old and residents of Mahipalpur, were tracked down through extensive CCTV analysis and sustained field efforts.
The incident took place on November 14 when a PCR call alerted PS Vasant Kunj South about a robbery. Police officials rushed to the spot where the complainant, identified as K.K. from Gurugram, reported that two men forcibly snatched his phone and made him transfer Rs 1,500 from his account before fleeing.
A case under FIR No. 471/2025 was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and investigation began immediately.
Given the seriousness of the crime, a specialised team led by Sub Inspector Ravi Malik and comprising Head Constable Naveen, HC Nemi Chand, Constable Harish and Woman Constable Suman was formed to track the culprits. The team combed through CCTV footage across multiple routes, including NH-48, Vasant Kunj Road and Mahipalpur Road. Their efforts led them to Ashish, one of the suspects, who was subsequently detained.
Police said Ashish confessed during interrogation that he and his associate Abhishek Dixit, also known as Golu, had committed the robbery. Acting on this information, a follow-up search operation resulted in the arrest of Abhishek from a wooded area near Arjun Camp.
Both men worked in Mahipalpur hotels on a commission basis, according to the press release. One of them, Ashish, is a drug user, while Abhishek is illiterate.
The police recovered the robbed iPhone SE and the clothes the accused were allegedly wearing during the robbery. “Further investigation is in progress,” the press release issued by Amit Goel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South-West District, stated.
Crime
Mumbai: Anti-Narcotics Cell Seizes ₹1.16 Crore Heroin; 2 Drug Suppliers Arrested In Andheri

Mumbai: In a major action against narcotics trafficking, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch, Kandivali Unit, seized heroin worth ₹1.16 crore during a late-night operation in Andheri on Monday–Tuesday. Two drug suppliers were arrested while they had allegedly arrived in Andheri West to sell the contraband.
According to officials, one of the arrested accused hails from Uttar Pradesh, while the other is a native of Bihar. Both had been living in the Bandra area for the past few months. Police are now searching for other members of the drug network involved in the case.
A senior officer said that the drug trafficking chain is extensive, and continuous interrogation of the arrested accused is underway to uncover more links.
The ANC Kandivali Unit received a tip-off from a confidential informant that two men would be arriving near Andheri Railway Station (West) for drug peddling. Acting swiftly, the unit laid a trap in the area. Based on suspicion, two young men were detained, and upon searching them, police recovered 292 grams of heroin, valued at ₹1.16 crore in the international market.
Both suspects were immediately arrested. The Crime Branch is now conducting further investigation to trace other individuals connected to the drug trafficking racket. Police said they have already identified some associates and expect to arrest them soon. Initial inquiries revealed that the arrested accused had come to the Andheri area for the first time to supply drugs.
Crime
‘This is terrorism and nothing else’: Owaisi on Dr Umar’s suicide bombing

New Delhi, Nov 19: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday reacted to the recent viral video of Delhi blast accused Dr Umar Muhammad, alias Umar Un Nabi, where he is justifying suicide bombings and said that killing innocents is “a grave sin” and is “terrorism”.
Days after the Delhi blast, a self-recorded video of the i20 car driver, Dr Umar Mohammad, has surfaced, in which he attempts to justify his malicious plan, and refers to it as “martyrdom operation”.
Reacting to this, Owaisi took to X and posted, “There is an undated video of Delhi blasts accused Umar Nabi justifying suicide bombing as ‘martyrdom’, and that it’s ‘misunderstood’. Suicide is haram in Islam, and the killing of innocents is a grave sin. Such acts are also against the law of the land. They are not ‘misunderstood’ in any way. This is terrorism and nothing else.”
He further questioned the Centre over the Delhi blast attack and demanded accountability for the “failure to detect” the terror module.
“During Operation Sindoor and Mahadev, Home Minister Amit Shah had assured Parliament that no local Kashmiri had joined terror groups in the last six months. Where did this group come from then? Who is accountable for the failure to detect this group?” Owaisi questioned.
In a heavily accented video that went viral on Tuesday, Umar attempts to give his terror plan a religious connection.
He is heard saying, “One of the very misunderstood concepts is the concept of suicide bombing; it is a martyrdom operation; as it has been known in Islam… There are multiple contradictions and arguments that have been brought against it — martyrdom operation.”
He further went on to explain that “martyrdom operation” is “when a person presumes that he is going, for sure, to die at a particular place and time.”
His video has revealed the suicide-bombing mindset, indicating that he had planned extensively on a large-scale terror operation.
The car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station on November 10 claimed the lives of at least 13 people and injured several others. The car was being driven by Dr Umar, a doctor associated with Faridabad’s Al Falah University.
The authorities reported that he went missing on November 9, following police raids in Faridabad that resulted in the seizure of almost 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate from a storage facility and the subsequent arrests of several of his associates.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Umar and Dr Muzammil, who was apprehended after the police dismantled the terror network, had travelled to Turkey, where it is believed their handlers are based.
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