Crime
Cybercrime Alert: Scammers Exploit Festive Season With New Frauds Targeting Unsuspecting Victims; Check Details

With 2024 just about to end, the scammers are leaving no opportunity to target victims with different frauds enticing them to click malicious links and Android Package Kit (APK) files. showcases some of the recently emerged cyber-crimes which are being used to dupe unsuspecting victims.
Malicious link and APK files wishing Happy New Year.
Modus-operandi: Using the occasion of New Year 2025, cyber-criminals would try to hack mobiles of the targets by sending malicious links and APK files on their mobile phone. The scammers would then share those harmful links and APK files on a large scale through social networking sites including WhatsApp from the hacked mobile number.
Dos and Don’ts: If anyone receives any harmful links and APK files of Happy New Year wishes from any social networking site including WhatsApp, delete it immediately. Do not share such malicious links and APK files with anyone for any reason. If harmful links and APK files are posted to any WhatsApp groups from your known WhatsApp number, the admins of the said group should check and delete such links and APK files. Call 1930 immediately or file a complaint on this website www.cybercrime.gov.in in case of any cyber crime offence.
Fake wedding invitation file scam.
Modus-operandi: Scammers send fake wedding invitations through WhatsApp, Instagram or other such apps with links to download a fake APK file. Installing it can add malware or steal personal information, data and could also lead to privacy or financial losses.
Dos and Don’ts: Always confirm the invitation directly with the sender. Do not click on suspicious links or download untrusted apps. Look for suspicious domains or spelling errors in links. Keep security software updated on all devices.
USB Charger Scam (Juice Jacking)
Modus-operandi: Cyber-criminals use USB charging ports installed at public places such as airports, cafés, hotels and bus stand etc. for malicious activities. Charging electronic devices at such infected USB charging stations, may make one a victim of juice-jacking cyber attack. Juice jacking may lead to installation of malicious apps, encryption of one’s device and criminals may ask for ransom to restore it. Stealing of data from your device.
Dos and Don’ts: Think twice before plugging to public charging stations or portable wall chargers. Use electrical wall outlet to charge your mobile device. Try to carry your own personal cable or power bank. Lock your mobile device and disable pairing with a connected device. Try to charge your phone when it is in a switched off state.
Exploitation of cyber-crime helpline (1930) by cyber-criminals
Modus-operandi: Fraudsters pretended to be police officers using a Skype ID called ‘POLICE 1930’ to trick victims into thinking they were real law enforcement. They falsely claimed that the victim’s Aadhar ID was used for shipping illegal items like drugs and credit cards. The criminals then threaten the victim with imprisonment and freezing his/her bank accounts unless the victim transfers a large amount of money to them. This sophisticated scam misuse an official cyber-crime helpline to exploit the victim’s trust in government systems.
Dos and Don’ts: If contacted by someone claiming to be law enforcement, terminate the call and verify their identity through official channels. Legitimate authorities will not request immediate payment over the phone. One should not disclose sensitive data or financial details to unknown callers and if anyone receives a threatening call or message, it should be reported to local authorities or cyber-crime units. In case someone receives fake arrest emails, one should not trust or respond to fake arrest notices sent via email, WhatsApp, SMS or Phone calls claiming to be from the police. Be skeptical of emails that seem urgent, threatening, or out of the ordinary. Verify the authenticity of any suspicious emails and check the email address to ensure it’s from a genuine government website ending in “gov.in“.
Crime
Kerala HC judge files complaint of theft at his residence, police probe on

Kochi, 27 June: The Kochi police have received a theft complaint from Kerala High Court Judge, Justice A. Badharudeen, according to officials on Friday, stating that six sovereigns of gold were missing from his residence.
The complaint, which was filed on Thursday, mentions that the gold has been stolen from the judge’s bedroom. The police have registered an FIR under Section BNS 305.
What has surprised many is that the thief has decamped with gold from a high-security guarded house located in the heart of the commercial capital of the state.
The judge registered the complaint with the Kalamassery police under which his residence falls.
After the preliminary probe, the police are now planning to prepare a list of those who need to be spoken to, as this incident occurred in the bedroom of the senior judge.
More details are awaited.
The incident has raised concerns regarding the security situation in the state. The Congress-led UDF has been accusing the state government of failing to curb the crimes.
It has been found that Kerala is a haven for organised gangs hailing from neighbouring states who specialise in robbing homes, and the cases against non-Keralaite thieves are also on the increase.
According to information prepared by the home department, which was placed before the Assembly last year, it showed 192 cases of theft involving non-Keralites were registered in 2021, and the numbers have been steadily increasing. This rose to 360 in 2022.
In 2023, the number increased further to 519, and by September 2024, a total of 307 such cases were registered. But the image of the Kerala Police got a boost when over 1,350 thieves during this period were put behind bars.
However, with regards to the case being registered in the burglary at the home of a judge, the police appear to have a tough job ahead.
Likewise, with other crimes also on the increase, the Ernakulam Police have come out with a directive to landlords who are seeking to rent out their properties. The police have urged the landlords to get a police clearance certificate from the prospective tenants from their local police station where they stayed.
Crime
Bengal BJP worker’s murder: Absconding man arrested by CBI after 4 years

Kolkata, June 26: After four years, a prime absconding accused in the killing of a BJP worker, Abhijit Sarkar, in the 2021 post-poll violence was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday.
The arrested person was identified as Arun Dey, for whom the CBI had earlier announced a reward of Rs 50,000. He was one of the five main accused persons in the murder of Sarkar, a resident of the Kankurgachi area in North Kolkata, during the violence that broke out after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election.
Sources said Dey was finally arrested on Thursday from a secret hideout in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. However, further details on the matter are still awaited.
Four other prime accused persons in the case, namely Sukhdeo Podder a.k.a. Sukha, Gopal Das a.k.a. Vishal, Amit and Biswajit Das a.k.a. Bomba, are still absconding.
All five of them were identified as Trinamool Congress strongmen in the area and were also known as close confidants of the ruling party legislator from Belegahta Assembly constituency in North Kolkata, Paresh Paul and Trinamool Congress councillor in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Swapan Samaddar.
Paul has already been questioned by the CBI sleuths in this connection. However, his name was not in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the matter, which angered the family members of the slain BJP worker.
To recall, Abhijit Sarkar was killed on May 2, 2021, soon after the results of the 2021 Assembly elections were declared, where Trinamool Congress bagged a landslide victory.
The CBI took over the investigation from the Kolkata Police following an order of the Calcutta High Court. In September 2021, a trial court in Kolkata declared the five accused absconders.
Thereafter, CBI declared a reward of Rs 50,000 on each of them. Finally, after over four years, one of the five accused and absconding persons has been arrested by the CBI sleuths. He might be presented at a special court in Kolkata later in the day, and the CBI counsel is expected to seek his custody for further interrogation, sources said.
Crime
TN cracks down on unlicensed homemade cosmetics marketed through social media

Chennai, June 26: Amid rising concerns over the quality and safety of homemade cosmetic products marketed extensively through social media, the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department has launched a statewide crackdown on unlicensed manufacturers.
Acting on public complaints, the department has identified 66 units suspected of violating the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
A senior official from the department confirmed that most of these units promote their products on social media platforms without obtaining the required manufacturing licences.
“We have begun block-level inspections based on instructions from the Director of Drugs Control, P.U. Karthigeyan. If violations are found, we will initiate legal action under Section 18(c) of the Act,” the official said.
The crackdown comes in response to increasing reports of substandard products flooding the market. A total of 38 types of personal care and cosmetic items fall under regulatory purview, including skin and tooth powders, toothpaste, creams, shampoos, hair oils, nail polish, kajal, henna, sindoor, cold wax, face packs, and toilet soaps.
Currently, Tamil Nadu has 340 licensed cosmetic manufacturers, with 37 operating in the Coimbatore region. The department has intensified inspections of these units, especially those actively promoting products on social media.
Two units in Coimbatore were already found violating promotional norms. Officials noted that while some units flout the law knowingly, others lack awareness of the licensing process.
“We advise such small-scale manufacturers to apply for a licence instead of facing legal action,” an official added.
To manufacture cosmetic products legally for commercial purposes, entrepreneurs must apply for a COS-8 licence through an offline process to the Director of Drug Control in Chennai.
The application fee is Rs 10,000 for up to 10 products, and the licence is valid for a lifetime, subject to a renewal fee of Rs 10,000 every five years. Approval is based on a self-declaration of compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), followed by a field inspection by drug control officials.
Cosmetic products must also meet standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and comply with the 7th Schedule of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, which outlines guidelines for manufacturing premises, equipment, and hygiene protocols.
Following the recent inspections, major e-commerce platforms have begun demanding licences from sellers. In response, many small-scale manufacturers have removed contact details to evade scrutiny. However, officials stress that genuine businesses can operate legally by following the proper procedures and obtaining the necessary clearances.
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