Navi Mumbai: An alert manager of a bank in Koparkhairane saved an 80 year old man from losing Rs 12 lakh Fixed Deposit amount to scamsters. Surendrakumar Rastogi, a retired officer from Nuclear Power Corporation of India was one of the latest victims of ‘digital arrest’ that has been happening rampantly in the country.

Even as he lost Rs 21.94 lakh, another Rs 12 lakh were saved because of the presence of mind of Lakshman Dhamale (55), Manager of Unity Small Finances Bank Ltd at sector 6 in Koparkhairane.

On November 13, Rastogi has received a call claiming to be from RBI which informed him that his pension was being blocked and he an arrest warrant has been issued against him. But since he is a senior citizen, he would get a chance to not get arrested and soon CBI will call him. He then got a whatsapp video call from one inspector S Lakshman from Hyderabad who claimed that they had proof that Rastogi was involved in Naresh Goyal scam.

He further claimed that Goyal was linked with Hizbul Mujahiddin terrorist organization and Rs 2 crore transaction was done in the name of Rastogi at Hyderabad for which a commission of Rs 20 lakh was provided to Rastogi. The caller further claimed that a case has been filed in Hyderabad against him.

“The caller then asked Rastogi the details of his investments and fixed deposits. The caller then told him that he will have to make few transactions in various accounts as they say and once he is proved innocent, all the money would be refunded,” senior police inspector Audumber Patil from Koparkhairane police station said.

The caller had also told him that he cannot disconnect the video call till all the procedures are over. Believing that he was under ‘house arrest’, Rastogi approached the banks to break his fixed deposits and transfer the amount to various bank accounts.

He started approaching various banks from November 14 and transferred a total of Rs 21.94 lakh to the scamsters. But when he reached Unity Small Finances Bank, the manager felt something amiss.

“We had informed banks that they should be cautious when a senior citizen approaches them with a request to break their FD and transfer a huge amount to someone,” Patil said.

Dhamale asked Rastogi the reason for breaking the FD and transferring Rs 12 lakh. “Rastogi was getting irritated with my questions. He claimed that it was for medical purpose and he was transferring to one Royal enterprises. The claims were mismatched. I told him that the server is down and he will transfer the amount in half an hour. The account to which the amount was to be transferred was at Yes bank and hence I wet to Yes bank to confirm the account details and I found that the account had a transaction of around Rs 3 crore in two days which was withdrawn as well. The account was reported to cyber cell and it was frozen by then,” Dhamale said.

Dhamale immediately called Rastogi to alert him and asked him to meet him but he didn’t turn up to ban and instead went to other banks and transferred around Rs 6 lakh to other accounts. Even after a day since Rastogi did not go to meet Dhamae, Dhamale approached Koparkhairane police.

“I informed the police and the police aling with me and a bank staff went to the residence of RAstogi. He was hesitant to talk as the video call was still active and he believed that he and his family was under surveillance. With a lot of coaxing, he heard us and we managed to make him believe that it is a scam,” Dhamale added.

“Being a senior citizen who was under the stress that he was under ‘house arrest’, we went to his residence in plain clothes. We showed him our police jeep outside and it took a lot to talking with hi to finally make him understand what actually happened was a scam,” police sub inspector Gajanan Takle from Koparhairane police station said. The police are now working of the leads of the case and are travelling to Uttarakhand to trace the accused.

Mumbai: The suspense over Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister is nearing its end, with final decisions revolving around cabinet allocation and leadership. Reports suggest the cabinet will include 42 ministers, distributed as 22 for the BJP, 12 for the Shiv Sena and 10 for Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction.

The BJP is crucially negotiating key portfolios, including Home, which signals its intent to solidify control following its election dominance. It is yet officially unclear that who gets what in the Maharashtra cabinet.

A decisive meeting in Delhi between Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was aimed at resolving outstanding issues. The meeting, seen as pivotal, concluded with expectations of an imminent announcement pending approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shinde Hints At Leaving CM Post For Fadnavis

Eknath Shinde earlier on Wednesday cleared the way for Fadnavis to take the top post, stating that he will abide by the BJP’s central leadership’s decision. “I will not be an obstacle. We trust whatever PM Modi decides,” Shinde reassured reporters. His comments showed his willingness to prioritise coalition stability over personal ambition.

Shinde’s role within the new setup remains uncertain. Several reports suggest he may be appointed as Deputy Chief Minister or offered a central role. However, other reports quoting Shiv Sena sources indicate he may stay in the state cabinet.

The BJP’s insistence on Fadnavis for the Chief Minister position comes after its strong performance in the recent Assembly elections, where it secured 132 out of 288 seats. However, the decision is not without challenges.

Challenges Ahead Of Making Fadnavis Maharashtra CM

Caste dynamics are at play, with Fadnavis being a Brahmin, while most MLAs are from the Maratha community. The BJP is navigating these complexities, with Amit Shah consulting senior leaders, including Vinod Tawde, to address potential backlash. Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil’s past remarks against Fadnavis add to the sensitivities.

Beyond leadership, the shape of the cabinet is critical. The proposed allocation mirrors the alliance’s electoral strength, reinforcing the BJP’s dominant position. Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction and the Shiv Sena will also secure substantial roles, maintaining a balance within the coalition.

With all key players in alignment and assurances given, the focus now shifts to formalising these decisions. Today’s developments are expected to shape Maharashtra’s political landscape majorly, with the BJP keen to consolidate its position both through leadership and strategic control of key ministries.

New Delhi: After meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the meeting as “good and positive.” He added that another meeting would be held, which is expected to decide who will assume the role of Chief Minister.

“The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. We had a discussion with Amit Shah and JP Nadda…There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti. In this meeting, a decision will be taken about who will be the Chief Minister. The meeting will be held in Mumbai,” he said.

Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar and other Mahayuti leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday. After the meeting, Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar left the national capital at late night. The leaders gathered to deliberate on the formation of the new government in Maharashtra.

‘There Are No Obstacles Regarding The CM’s Post,’ Says Eknath Shinde

Earlier, Shinde reiterated that there were no obstacles regarding the Chief Minister’s post and that “Ladla Bhai” is a title that holds more significance for him than anything else.

“I cleared my role in the press conference yesterday that there are no obstacles regarding the Chief Minister of Mahayuti. This ‘ladla bhai’ has arrived in Delhi and the ‘ladla bhai’ is a designation higher than anything else for me,” Shinde told the meeting.

Shinde had stated on Wednesday that he would accept any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the CM face for the state.

“I have told the Prime Minister that if my presence creates any obstacle in forming the government in Maharashtra, there should be no hesitation in making a decision. Whatever decision you take will be acceptable to me,” Shinde said during a press conference in Mumbai.

‘Mahayuti Alliance Has No Internal Differences,’ Says Devendra Fadnavis

Fadnavis also asserted that the Mahayuti alliance had no internal differences and that a decision on the Chief Minister would be made soon after consulting the leaders.

Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said, “In our Mahayuti alliance, there has never been a difference of opinion. We have always made decisions collectively. Before the elections, we announced that the decision regarding the Chief Minister’s post would be taken collectively after the results. A few people had doubts, but Eknath Shinde ji has clarified those today. We will soon meet our leaders and finalise the decision.”

The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on November 23, but the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has yet to finalise its choice for Chief Minister.

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies–the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar–won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.