Lucknow: At 100 years of age, Hardev Singh had lived through wars, seen India’s independence, and spent a long career in the Merchant Navy. But nothing prepared him for the ordeal he faced last week in his own home in Lucknow, when a group of cyberfraudsters held him under what police describe as “digital arrest” for six straight days.

The nightmare began when Singh picked up a call from an unfamiliar number. On the other end were men posing as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They accused him of being linked to a money laundering case and warned of dire consequences if he did not cooperate.

What followed was psychological captivity. Singh was ordered to stay on the call constantly, cut off from the outside world, unable to tell anyone what was happening. The callers directed him to remain isolated while they demanded details about his finances.

The deception deepened when Singh’s son returned home and learned of the situation. Hoping to shield his father from further harassment, he took over the call. But the fraudsters threatened him too, insisting that money must be transferred to several bank accounts for “verification.” They promised that every rupee would be returned once checks were complete.

Fearful and under pressure, Singh’s son complied, transferring ₹1.29 crore in multiple installments. The promised refunds never came. It was only then that the family realized they had been the victims of a sophisticated cybercrime operation.

The ordeal ended with a complaint to the national cybercrime helpline (1930), after which a case was registered at Sarojini Nagar police station. Investigators are now tracking the fraudsters using the mobile numbers and bank details shared by the family.

Police officials say cases of “digital arrest” are on the rise, with scammers using fake identities of enforcement agencies to intimidate victims. Elderly people, often more trusting of authority, are particularly vulnerable.

For Singh, the experience has left scars beyond the massive financial loss. “They stole our peace of mind more than the money,” a family member said. “My father spent a century building a life, only to be tricked in his twilight years.”

New Delhi, Aug 29: India and Africa must work to double bilateral trade by 2030, focusing on value addition, technology-driven agriculture, renewable energy, and healthcare, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Friday.

Delivering the keynote address at the valedictory session of the CII India Africa Business Conclave here, the minister pointed out that bilateral trade between India and Africa is already fairly balanced — with India’s exports at $42.7 billion and imports at $40 billion.

However, he underlined the untapped potential across regions: “This demonstrates the opportunity we have missed out on over the years, and the scope for expansion today.”

The Minister stressed that India and Africa need not compete in every sector, but rather explore complementarities.

He highlighted areas such as agriculture, food security, cooperative and self-help group movements, education, skill development, capacity building, research and development, innovation, start-ups, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy, which provide vast opportunities for mutual benefit.

Goyal highlighted the immense potential for collaboration in the automobile sector. He noted that while Africa imports nearly $20 billion worth of motor vehicles annually, India currently supplies only about $2 billion of this demand.

He underlined that Indian automobiles are globally competitive, both in terms of cost and quality, with manufacturing standards on par with the best in the world.

He said that Indian manufacturers can play a vital role in meeting Africa’s growing demand for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, two and three-wheelers, and affordable electric mobility solutions.

This opens up a wide delta of opportunity for African nations to access reliable, fuel-efficient, and environmentally sustainable vehicles at competitive prices, while India can, in return, benefit from greater imports of African resources such as critical minerals, petroleum products, and agricultural commodities.

This balanced exchange would help both regions expand trade, generate employment, and build long-term industrial partnerships, he added.

Highlighting complementarities, the Minister observed that Africa could support India in areas such as critical minerals and petroleum products, while India could support Africa in food security, technological upgradation, manufacturing, and services.

He mentioned that India is cost-competitive in services like architecture, engineering, IT, AI and telecom, while also offering potential in medical tourism.

Referring to India’s close bond with Mauritius, Goyal assured the Indian Ocean island nation continued support in addressing inflationary pressures in essentials such as milk products, edible oils, and rice.

“It is this spirit of friendship and cooperation that defines India’s engagement with Africa,” he said.

Goyal also recalled India’s support to Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic, when medicines, vaccines and pharmaceutical products were provided at affordable costs, unlike the highly-priced alternatives from developed nations.

He further said that India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) could help bring down transaction costs and strengthen Africa’s financial systems.

Calling the Global South the true voice of the developing world, Goyal urged African nations to work with India at multilateral platforms like the WTO to create common objectives and influence global decision-making.

He emphasised collaboration in agriculture technologies, renewable energy, generic medicines, critical minerals, and youth partnerships, noting that the young populations of India and Africa will define the future.

New Delhi, Aug 29: Despite repeated allegations of “vote theft” and “voter list manipulation” from the opposition parties, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday revealed that only 117 claims and objections were received from political parties during the period from August 1-29.

This contrasts sharply with the nearly 2,12,000 claims and objections submitted directly by electors.

The ECI’s latest bulletin, dated August 29, shows that out of 117 claims and objections submitted by political parties, a significant majority (108) came from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) alone.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) filed nine objections, while all six recognised national parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress (INC), and the National People’s Party, filed a total of zero claims and objections.

This data was released amid ongoing criticism from opposition parties like the Congress and RJD, who have alleged that the SIR process is a “conspiracy” to steal votes and disenfranchise eligible citizens. The SIR began on June 24 with the draft electoral roll published on August 1.

The period for filing claims and objections is set to end on September 1, with just three days left for submissions.

The ECI stated that generic complaints, without the prescribed forms, are not counted as valid claims or objections.

The bulletin also provided additional data, noting that the Election Registration Officer (ERO) received zero claims from any person other than electors of a specific Assembly Constituency, as per Section 2(g) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Furthermore, a total of 2,11,650 claims and objections were received directly from individual electors to address the inclusion of eligible voters and the exclusion of ineligible ones. The ECI also recorded 11,36,565 forms from new electors who have attained 18 years of age or above.

The ECI emphasised that no name can be deleted from the draft list without a speaking order from the ERO/AERO after a proper inquiry.

Aggrieved persons can submit their claims in Form 6 along with a copy of their Aadhaar card before the deadline.