Mumbai: In a fresh case of cyber fraud, a 46-year-old Mumbai-based IT official has been duped of a staggering Rs. 91.67 lakh in an online investment scam. A case has been registered and cyber police are currently investigating the matter. The culprits behind the fraud remain unidentified.

According to the victim, the entire ordeal began after she came across videos of finance influencer Rachana Ranade on social media. These videos allegedly promoted lucrative investment opportunities through a link shared in the post. After clicking the link, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group, media reports, where several users appeared to be making significant profits through similar investments.

The group regularly shared investment tips and encouraged newcomers to participate. On reaching out to the group admin, the victim was reportedly sent a link to download a mobile app, suspiciously named after a well-known multinational bank. Initially, she invested a small amount and received a 15 percent return almost immediately. To add credibility, the scammers provided fake acknowledgements from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and even credited profits to her bank account, making the entire process look legitimate.

Encouraged by the early returns, she proceeded to invest multiple times, transferring a total of Rs. 57.67 lakh to various bank accounts. The app reflected a growing profit, eventually showing a whopping Rs. 4 crore in returns. However, when she tried to withdraw the amount on June 3, she was asked to pay Rs. 34 lakh as a service charge and an additional Rs. 40 lakh as a security deposit.

Even after making these payments, no money was credited back to her. It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a meticulously planned scam, losing a total of Rs. 91.67 lakh. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation, the report confirms.

Mumbai: Mumbai Police on Thursday arrested 33-year-old Sagar Shevale for allegedly abandoning his grandmother, who is battling skin cancer, at a garbage dumping site in Aarey Colony on June 22. The shocking act of neglect has sparked widespread outrage and also led to the intervention by the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission.

The accused, an office boy from Hanuman Nagar in Kandivali, reportedly confessed to police that he abandoned his grandmother, Yashoda Gaikwad, out of frustration. According to media reports which quoted his statement, he had spent a lot of money on his daughter’s treatment and was frustrated by repeated refusals by hospitals to admit her due to her deteriorating condition. Along with Shevale, police also arrested a relative and the driver of the autorickshaw used to transport Yashoda to the dumping site.

On June 22, around 8 am, police received an alert about an elderly woman lying in a garbage heap near Unit 32 in Aarey Colony, Goregaon. The woman was found in a severely injured and distressed state, with visible symptoms of a serious skin condition. She identified herself as Yashoda Gaikwad and informed authorities that her grandson had abandoned her earlier that morning.

Following this, the Aarey Police registered an FIR against Sagar Shevale under Section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act and Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Shevale initially denied the allegations, claiming that Yashoda had left home while the family was out and he had no knowledge of her whereabouts. However, police dismissed this version, citing the implausibility of a seriously ill woman walking all the way from Kandivali to Aarey.

CCTV Footage Shows Shevale Accompanying Grandmother

To ascertain the facts, police reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which reportedly showed Shevale accompanying his grandmother toward the location where she was later found. Based on the evidence, authorities moved to arrest him, along with others involved in the act.

Yashoda Gaikwad was rushed to Cooper Hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment and remains under medical supervision. The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has demanded a comprehensive report from both police and civic authorities. Meanwhile, several NGOs have come forward, offering assistance and care for the elderly woman during her recovery.

Mumbai: Mumbai Anti Narcotics Cell and Mumbai Police have jointly launched anti-drug awareness campaign and today on the occasion of Anti-Drug Day various programs were organized in which awareness against drug abuse and banner display against drugs and skits and dramas were also presented. Rallies were taken out against drug abuse in Kandivali, Borivali, Kasturba Marg, Samtanagar Dandoshi of Mumbai. On this occasion, NSS students of Shailendra College participated in the anti-drug campaign. Along with this, a rally was taken out by putting banners and posters on vehicles. 150 to 200 students participated in it. Anti-drug awareness campaign in Mumbai was organized at 7 places in Mumbai in which 4500 students participated and 40 schools and colleges also participated. This campaign was led by Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and Joint Commissioner of Police Crime Laxmi Gautam DCPANC. Along with these rallies, students and participants involved in the rallies took a pledge to stay away from drugs and make the society free from it.