New Delhi, Oct 1: The Cyber Police Station of Delhi’s South District has busted an interstate cyber-fraud network involved in Telegram-based task and cryptocurrency investment fraud, arresting three accused persons from Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand, police said on Thursday.

According to police, the case came to light after a complainant reported being cheated of Rs 7,86,300 in a Telegram-based task and cryptocurrency investment fraud. The complainant allegedly came in contact with the fraudsters through a Telegram group, where he was induced to undertake online tasks and invest money in cryptocurrency with the promise of substantial returns.

Believing their representations, the complainant transferred Rs 7,86,300 in two instalments of Rs 4,66,300 and Rs 3,20,000, as directed by the accused, police said.

However, the accused neither provided the promised returns nor returned the invested amount and subsequently stopped responding to the complainant.

Following the complaint, e-FIR No. 0149/2025 under Sections 318(4), 319 and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at Police Station Cyber South, and an investigation was initiated.

The police team comprised Sub-Inspector Raj Kumar Singh, Head Constable Sunil Kumar Bairwa and HC Rajkumar Bairwa, under the leadership of Inspector Hansraj Swami, SHO, PS Cyber South, and the supervision of ACP/Operations Balram Singh Beniwal.

During the investigation, technical and financial analyses were conducted to trace the flow of fraudulent funds. Police identified several mule bank accounts allegedly used to route the proceeds of the cyber fraud. An amount of Rs 4.66 lakh was traced to one mule account, while another account had received Rs 5.22 lakh.

Based on the investigation, the accused Karan Biswas and Mohit Sarkar alias Monu were traced and arrested in Udham Singh Nagar.

Further investigation led to the formal arrest of Vinay Mandal, who was already in custody in connection with another cyber-fraud case registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Rohtak, Haryana. He was subsequently taken on a three-day police custody remand.

Police said the accused operated Telegram-based task and cryptocurrency investment schemes to lure victims into transferring money. Mule bank accounts were allegedly arranged through intermediaries on commission and used to receive, route and withdraw the fraudulent funds. The proceeds were also allegedly utilised for cryptocurrency transactions, including through USDT.

The police recovered two mobile phones, one Canara Bank passbook and relevant digital and financial evidence from the accused.

According to police, Karan Biswas and Mohit Sarkar have no previous criminal involvement, while Vinay Mandal was previously involved in FIR No. 148/25 registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Rohtak, Haryana.

Police said the investigation resulted in the identification and arrest of three alleged members of the network and uncovered the use of mule accounts to route cyber-fraud proceeds.

Jaipur, Sep 30: Rajasthan Police arrested three men from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the alleged recording and circulation of an objectionable video of an Israeli woman in Ajmer.

According to police, the incident took place on September 9, 2026, when the woman was allegedly filmed without her consent while bathing at the Ajaypal Baba Ajaysar Kund. The video was later circulated on social media.

Acting on the directions of Ajmer Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan, special police teams used technical evidence and social media monitoring to trace the suspects. Police said the arrests were made as part of an investigation into the circulation of the video and efforts to identify those responsible. The case came to the attention of the Ajmer District Social Media Cell after the video surfaced online.

A joint team was formed under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Himanshu Jangid and Circle Officer (Dargah) Harshit Sharma, with Ganj Station House Officer Narendra Singh leading the operation.

Investigators examined social media accounts, Instagram IDs and mobile phone details linked to the suspects. Police said technical evidence, along with CCTV footage, helped them trace the accused to Machalpur in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. A police team subsequently conducted a raid in the area and arrested three suspects.

The arrested men have been identified as Arjun (30), a resident of Gadiya Majara Khoyara; Dayaram (30), a resident of Kundi Beg; and Jujhar (25), also a resident of Kundi Beg, according to police.

Police said that during interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to recording the video near Ajaypal Kund and circulating it through their Instagram accounts.

The allegations are subject to the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings. A case has been registered against the three accused under Case No. 246/26 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 75(2), 75(3), 77, 79, 296(b), 352 and 3(5).

The arrests come a day after Ajmer Police took action in a separate case involving the alleged harassment of a foreign tourist at a marble dumping yard in Kishangarh, in which four youths were arrested.

The successive investigations highlight the police’s focus on incidents involving the safety and privacy of tourists, including foreign visitors, in the Ajmer region.

New Delhi, Sep 30: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the seizure of more than 500 kg of drugs and the arrest of five Pakistani nationals in the Arabian Sea off Lakshadweep was the outcome of 16 days of effective coordination among Indian security agencies.

Reacting to the Indian Coast Guard’s interception of the vessel carrying drugs, Shah also said the Narendra Modi government was determined to protect the country’s youth from the scourge of drugs.

“Upholding a stellar example of coordination and cooperation among agencies, the 16-day-long operation also seized an Iranian boat,” Shah said in a post on X.

In a joint operation involving the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Indian Coast Guard and central intelligence agencies, 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin were seized from an Iranian boat in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), he said.

The vessel was intercepted 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai. “Five Pakistani nationals have been arrested, with further investigation underway to identify the wider network and its intended receivers,” Shah said.

Pakistan’s role in narcotics smuggling once again came to light following the massive seizure in the Arabian Sea of Lakshadweep.

The seizure followed an extensive operation by the security agencies against suspected narcotics trafficking in the Arabian Sea. The operation highlights the role of coordinated surveillance and intelligence-sharing among agencies in tackling drug smuggling through India’s maritime routes.

The ICG intercepted a Pakistani vessel off the Lakshadweep coast in the Arabian Sea after a hot pursuit, seizing 526 kg of high-grade narcotics valued at over Rs 3,000 crore and apprehending five Pakistani nationals on September 25.

Acting on inputs regarding an illicit consignment traversing key maritime corridors, ICG established radar contact with the suspicious dhow west of the Lakshadweep archipelago before initiating a hot pursuit.

“Specialised boarding teams executed a high-seas tactical assault, securing the vessel and detaining all five crew members without incident,” the ICG said in an official statement.

A thorough search of the dhow yielded the illicit drugs, including high-grade heroin and methamphetamine.

The ICG officials said that the five Pakistani nationals were apprehended following a dramatic chase across international waters.

After sustained aerial and surface tracking, the Coast Guard units engaged in hot pursuit as the vessel attempted evasive manoeuvres. Specialised boarding teams executed a high-seas tactical assault, securing the vessel and detaining all five crew members without incident, the ICG said.

The Coast Guard reaffirmed its mission readiness, stating that Bharatiya Tatrakshak remains resolutely postured to secure national maritime frontiers, combat organised crime, and dismantle transnational cartels in support of the nationwide drug-free India campaign.

The apprehended vessel and the crew have been escorted to Mumbai harbour, where a multi-agency probe is underway. The agencies are now trying to map out the syndicate’s financial trail and domestic contribution networks.

The Narendra Modi government had launched a massive campaign against drugs with the promise that India would be drug-free. Home Minister Shah had recently said that in order to accomplish this mission, the agencies would work at the district level as well.

An official said that with major cities under the radar of the agencies, the Inter Services Intelligence-backed narcotics cartels had decided to move operations to smaller towns. The target is to break 100 major international and inter-state drug syndicates which have been indulging in narcotics smuggling in India.

Statistics show that between 2014 and 2026, over 1.18 crore kg valued at around Rs 1.84 lakh crore has been seized by the various agencies in the country.

This has been a result of close coordination between the state and central agencies. Further, the agencies have also been coordinating with their international counterparts to bring back drug lords and their cronies who are operating from across the borders.

Authorities said that between 2014 and 2026, 42.47 lakh kg of drugs valued at Rs 89,896 crore had been destroyed. Annual narcotics seizures reached an all-time high in 2024, when 1,330 to 1,691 tonnes were seized, marking a 55 per cent increase over 2023.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the government has been working closely with other countries.

During all conversations that are held with international leaders, India has been clear on its commitment to dismantle the drug network.

“Further, destroying the narcotics cartels also deals a severe setback to the terror networks. The terror networks are completely reliant on the money earned through narcotics trade. Hence, dealing a blow to the narcotics cartels automatically becomes a setback for the ISI-controlled terror groups which look to hit India,” the official said.