Mumbai, Sep 18: Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said 68 Japanese companies participating in Semicon India 2026 are in the process of finalising their manufacturing, research and partnership plans in India.

Speaking to media during his visit to the Japanese pavilion at the event, Vaishnaw said more than 30 countries are participating in Semicon India 2026, reflecting growing international interest in India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

“Here at the Japanese pavilion, there are 68 Japanese companies. They are finalising their plans for manufacturing, research and partnerships in India,” the Minister said.

Vaishnaw also highlighted the enthusiasm among young people at the semiconductor event, saying India’s semiconductor push is creating opportunities for high-skilled employment and helping develop a talent pool for the sector.

The Minister also showcased a semiconductor chip developed by students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela in Odisha. He said the chip was developed under the talent development programme of India’s Semiconductor Mission and that the students had made a presentation on their work before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The student-developed chip was displayed to the media during Vaishnaw’s interaction.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had earlier expressed pride at seeing indigenous chip designs developed by NIT Rourkela being showcased alongside Made-in-India semiconductor chips at Semicon India.

Majhi said the achievement was a matter of pride for Odisha and demonstrated the talent, innovation and research capabilities of institutions in the state.

He also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and Vaishnaw’s efforts for India’s continued progress towards building a strong and self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem.

The Chief Minister congratulated the scientists, researchers and the entire NIT Rourkela team, noting that talent from Odisha is contributing to India’s semiconductor journey and its broader efforts towards technological self-reliance.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Cyber ​​Cell has claimed to expose a gang that extorted money from victims by using the tactic of “digital arrest”—threatening to implicate them in false cases to instill fear. In one instance, a complainant was defrauded of ₹1.12 crore after being subjected to “digital arrest” and intimidated with threats of legal action regarding a ₹238 crore money laundering case involving a fake SIM card, alongside the receipt of a forged Supreme Court notice. The police successfully apprehended a total of six accused individuals in this case, including the Operations Manager and an IT web developer from IndusInd Bank. The North Cyber ​​Police registered a case under various sections of the BNS (Sections 204, 308(7), 61(2), 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), 238) and the IT Act (Sections 66, 66). The complainant, a 68-year-old senior citizen residing in Dahisar, was targeted between July 30, 2026, and September 12, 2026. The accused contacted him via WhatsApp video calls, posing as officials from the Department of Telecommunications (Bharatiya Door Sanchar Vibhag). They alleged that a money laundering case involving ₹238 crore had been registered against him in Delhi, claiming his SIM card had been used in the scheme. By sending a fake Supreme Court notice and threatening arrest, they placed the complainant under “digital arrest” and defrauded him of ₹1,12,26,000. The accused orchestrated this highly sensitive crime by concealing their true identities and systematically impersonating police officers—wearing uniforms and utilizing the names, seals, and letterheads of government authorities and national investigative agencies. They repeatedly intimidated the complainant with the threat of arrest during video calls to coerce him into transferring funds to specific bank accounts. To receive the proceeds of the fraud, the cyber criminals utilized current accounts held in various banks under the names of different individuals and companies. The investigation team of the North Cyber ​​Police Station, Mumbai, skillfully handled the case… Through persistent effort and a positive investigation—understanding the modus operandi and tracing leads from the initial-level bank accounts used in the crime—the police identified and arrested individuals involved in buying and selling current accounts to receive fraud proceeds (linked to “digital arrest” scams) and those responsible for layering the illicit funds. Items recovered from the arrested individuals include 2 laptops, 20 mobile phones, bank accounts belonging to 25 different individuals, ATM cards, passbooks, and Aadhaar cards. The arrested individuals are: 1) Rajesh Kumar Mohanlal Jain (54, 12th-grade education; resident of Dadar East, Mumbai; bank account holder); 2) Mohammad Tariq Anwar Momin (49, 12th-grade education; resident of Dadar East, Mumbai; facilitator for opening and supplying bank accounts of various individuals); 3) Shekhar Mukesh Tyagi (28, B.Com/BMA; resident of Sion, Mumbai; Operations Manager at IndusInd Bank); 4) Gaurav Mahesh Goyal (40, BE from IIT Delhi; resident of Goregaon East, Mumbai; web developer); and 5) Ajay Kumar Kaliprasad Sharma (35, BA; resident of Bhiwandi Road, Thane district; facilitator providing mobile-based access). A case has been registered at the Bandra/Prabhadevi Police Station under Sections 420, 409, 120(b), and 34. 6) Chintan Kumar Sureshbhai Desai (age…). (46 years old; educated up to B.A.; resident of Mora Bhagal, Ranadil Road, behind SBI Bank, Surat, Gujarat; the individual responsible for layering the complainant’s funds through associates.)

Modus Operandi of the Accused
Abhay Dev Gold Prali is the Director of the company and is identified as Arrested Accused No. 1. The company holds a registered account with IndusInd Bank. The mobile numbers of both Arrested Accused No. 1 and the other director are linked to this account. Arrested Accused No. 2 purchased two new mobile phones from a shop in Dadar East. Into one phone, he inserted the SIM card belonging to the company’s second director (linked to the aforementioned bank account), and into the other, he inserted the SIM card belonging to Arrested Accused No. 1 (also linked to the same account). Arrested Accused No. 2 handed both phones over to Arrested Accused No. 3, who served as the Operational Manager/Head at IndusInd Bank. Arrested Accused No. 3 kept the phone containing the second director’s SIM card for himself and then handed it over to Arrested Accused No. 5. Meanwhile, he inserted the SIM card linked to Arrested Accused No. 1’s account into the other phone and handed it to Arrested Accused No. 4 (a web developer), who subsequently passed it to Arrested Accused No. 6. Arrested Accused No. 6 traveled by air from Mumbai to Delhi and then to Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. There, with the help of associates, he transferred the complainant’s funds from the aforementioned account. Through this cyber fraud scheme—which involved subjecting the complainant to “digital arrest”—a total of ₹1,12,26,000 was fraudulently obtained. The said remarkable performance has been done by Police Commissioner Mumbai, Devin Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kanbhare, Additional Police Commissioner Crime Krishan Kant Upadhyay, DCP Cyber ​​Cell Bajrang Bansode, ACP Suvarna Shinde.

Appeal to Citizens: Follow these guidelines to stay safe from the “digital arrest” cyber scam. Agencies such as the Police, CBI, ED, RBI, or any government body do not conduct “digital arrests”; there is no such provision in the law. Do not accept video calls from strangers or send money to them. Pay attention to any noticeable changes in the behavior or mood of family members. If you fall victim to a digital arrest scam, immediately inform your family, relatives, or the police. If you receive a call regarding a digital arrest, contact your nearest police station immediately, call the helpline numbers 100 or 1930 for assistance, or register a complaint at http://www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Mumbai: Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide visited the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Byculla (East) today (September 17, 2026) to review the various ongoing projects and initiatives there.

During the visit, Ashwini Bhide viewed the hibiscus exhibition at the garden. She also planted a ‘Century Palm’ sapling within the premises as part of the Central Government’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (A Tree in Mother’s Name) campaign and to commemorate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s birthday.

Furthermore, she inspected the construction progress of the ‘tunnel aquarium’ being built within the garden and zoo complex and issued instructions to complete the construction work by January 2027.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakne, Deputy Commissioner (Gardens) Ajit Kumar Ambi, Director (Zoo) Dr. Sanjay Tripathi, and Garden Superintendent Jitendra Pardeshi, along with other concerned officials and staff, were present on the occasion. A hibiscus exhibition has been organized at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo, showcasing approximately 50 varieties of hibiscus flowers in various colors. The exhibition is open to the public. On this occasion, Ms. Ashwini Bhide appealed to citizens to visit the exhibition and view the diverse varieties of hibiscus flowers.