Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Akhilesh Yadav, has triggered a controversy with his remark that the “most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand”, drawing a sharp response from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who accused the Kannauj MP of insulting the people of the Himalayan state and recalled the 1994 Rampur Tiraha incident.

The controversy erupted after Yadav made the remarks while responding to questions from reporters in Lucknow on Friday. He was asked about the BJP’s allegations that the Opposition was attempting to protect the votes of infiltrators by raising questions about the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Responding to the allegations, Yadav said, “The people who are saying this themselves are infiltrators… Most infiltrators in UP are from Uttarakhand. One has to define infiltrators… The term infiltrators will not weaken the ‘Hindustaniyat’. They are making efforts to end ‘Hindustaniyat’. They have made a mockery of faith and devotion…”

His remarks drew a strong reaction from Chief Minister Dhami, who took to X to defend the people of Uttarakhand and describe the statement as an insult to the state’s identity, history and sacrifices.

“Uttarakhand is both the Devbhoomi and Veerbhoomi. This sacred soil has given the nation numerous sants, soldiers, and individuals devoted to national service. Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji, calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators, is an insult to the pride of the Devbhoomi and to our struggles,” CM Dhami said.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister also invoked the Rampur Tiraha incident of 1994, when activists demanding a separate Uttarakhand state were fired upon during the tenure of then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

“The people of Uttarakhand also have not forgotten that when Akhilesh Yadav ji’s father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, bullets were fired at the agitators demanding a separate Uttarakhand state at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar. Bullets were fired at Uttarakhand’s agitators during the father’s regime, and today the son is calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators! The people of Uttarakhand can never forget their struggles and sacrifices,” he said.

CM Dhami further questioned whether the Congress, which is a political ally of the Samajwadi Party, supported Yadav’s statement.

“Does the Congress support this statement from its political ally, Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji? Is calling the people of Uttarakhand infiltrators acceptable to the Congress? The Congress must answer the people of this Devbhoomi,” the Chief Minister said.

The Cyber Police Station of Delhi Police’s Central District has arrested a 26-year-old man for cheating a woman Constable of approximately Rs 24 lakh in an investment scam, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Vikrant Kumar alias Vicky Tomar, a resident of Vazidpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, was arrested in connection with FIR No. 271/2026, registered on September 8 under Sections 318(4), 316(2) and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, the case was registered following a complaint by Constable Shiwani of Delhi Police, who alleged that the accused approached her on Instagram under the pretext of seeking guidance regarding recruitment to the Delhi Police through the sports quota.

The conversation subsequently shifted to WhatsApp, where the accused allegedly established a rapport with the woman and portrayed himself as a prominent figure in cricket.

Investigators said he later persuaded her to invest money by promising high returns. Trusting his assurances, the complainant allegedly transferred her savings from her Axis Bank account, took a personal loan of Rs 12 lakh and borrowed additional money from acquaintances.

The woman was cheated of approximately Rs 24 lakh in total, the police said.

Of the total amount, around Rs 8 lakh was transferred to bank accounts linked to the online betting platform 1x.com, allegedly at the accused’s direction.

The police are investigating the financial transactions to establish the complete money trail and determine whether other individuals or accounts were involved in the alleged fraud.

The complaint also includes allegations of sexual misconduct. According to the police, during an in-person meeting, the accused allegedly touched the complainant’s waist inappropriately with the intention of outraging her modesty.

The allegation forms part of the case registered against him under the relevant provisions of the BNS.

The Cyber Police Station’s Central District team is continuing its investigation to determine whether the accused allegedly defrauded other people using a similar modus operandi.

Officials said efforts were underway to identify potential victims and establish whether additional financial transactions were linked to the case.

The police have not ruled out the possibility of further developments as the investigation progresses.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, on Friday conducted search operations at seven premises across Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri in Telangana under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), an official statement said on Saturday.

The raids targeted the registered office of M/s Kanakadhara Ventures Pvt. Ltd. (KVPL), the residences of its directors, and premises linked to entities and individuals alleged to have acted as conduits for the diversion of bank funds.

The searches form part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged “misutilisation” and diversion of credit facilities sanctioned to KVPL and its directors, the ED statement said.

The ED case stems from an FIR dated December 8, 2022, registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Bank Securities and Fraud Branch (BS&FB), Bangalore, on a complaint from Punjab National Bank.

The FIR alleges offences under Sections 120-B, 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

According to the agency, a consortium of banks led by Punjab National Bank — comprising IDBI Bank, Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank (now UBI) and Bank of Baroda — suffered a loss of Rs 326.49 crore.

ED investigations revealed that Bank Guarantee and Letter of Credit facilities granted to KVPL were misused. Funds were allegedly diverted through related and conduit entities on the strength of fabricated steel purchase invoices and transport documents.

The company is also accused of operating bank accounts outside the consortium arrangement without the knowledge of the lending banks, the statement said.

During the searches, officials seized incriminating documents, digital devices and other records related to the diversion and layering of funds. Unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 15 lakh was also recovered.

Multiple immovable properties and investments linked to the case have been identified.

ED said further investigation is underway.

The coordinated action underscores the agency’s continued focus on tracing the proceeds of bank frauds and cracking down on complex money-laundering networks involving corporate entities.