Deadly Dubai bus accident: Omani driver sentenced to 7 years
Dubai: The Omani bus driver, who rammed the vehicle into a height barrier in Dubai that killed 17 people, including 12 Indians, has been sentenced to seven years in jail followed by deportation and ordered to pay USD 925,000 as blood money, according to media reports.
Twelve Indians were among the 17 people killed in the horrific bus accident on June 7 when the bus, coming from Oman, wrongly entered a road not designated for buses and crashed into a height barrier that cut the left side of the bus and killed passengers sitting on that side.
The other deceased include two Pakistanis, one Omani and one Filipina.
According to The Gulf News, the Dubai Traffic Court has ordered that the 53-year-old bus driver be deported after his jail term is over and in addition he should pay USD 13,000 (dirham 50,000) fine.
He will also have to pay USD 925,00 (dirham 3.4 million) in blood money for the families of the victims and his licence was also suspended for one year, the report said.
After the court pronounced its judgement, families of the crash victims said that the "justice is served," the Khaleej Times reported. Many families are glad that the judgement came so fast.
"We think the judgement is fair, and we expected it. We are happy that it came so fast. We predicted it would take a few more months. Now, we can start the procedural work," one of the relatives said.
"The family is back home in Thalasherry, Kerala. We're still unclear on what to do next, but I think the logical next step is to be appointing a lawyer to help us get the amount. They are in extreme financial distress, and this amount would really help," he was quoted as saying by the report.
On June 6, the Muscat-to-Dubai Mwasalat bus service struck an overhead height barrier at 94 km/h at the turn off from Mohammad Bin Zayed Road leading onto Rashidiya Road, where it was due to make a scheduled stop at Rashidiya Metro.
According to the Traffic Prosecution, the speed limit on that road is 40 km/h. The driver took a wrong left turn not designated for buses which led to the height restriction, instead of going right, the authorities said.
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Delhi Police busts Rs 300 crore international cyber fraud syndicate, arrests mastermind
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate -- linked with over 2,000 complaints and scams worth over Rs 300 crore -- with the arrest of its alleged mastermind and 10 others, an official said on Sunday.
During the investigation, police uncovered a well-organised network operating across multiple states with links to international cyber fraud syndicates, particularly in Cambodia.
"We have so far identified over 260 bank accounts linked to more than 100 fictitious companies used to channel the proceeds of crime. The total number of complaints linked to the syndicate stands at 2,567," police said.
The key accused, Karan Kajaria, was apprehended at Kolkata airport on April 3 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him. He was brought to Delhi a day later for further investigation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said.
The case came to light following a complaint by a city resident, Sultan, who alleged that he was duped of Rs 31.45 lakh after being lured into an investment scheme.
Police said the victim was persuaded to download a fake trading application and invest money with promises of high returns. However, when he attempted to withdraw the profits, the application stopped functioning, and the group became inaccessible.
"An FIR was registered at the cyber police station in northeast and later transferred to the crime branch for a detailed probe," the officer said.
The syndicate created fake investment platforms and messaging groups to lure victims. They used mule bank accounts arranged through intermediaries and deployed malicious applications to capture sensitive banking details, including OTPs. Funds collected from victims were routed through a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to conceal the trail, police said.
"Kajaria, who is believed to be the main coordinator, maintained direct links with foreign-based operators and facilitated the movement of funds through cryptocurrency channels,' the DCP said.
He acted as a bridge between Indian operatives and international cyber criminals. He was also involved in procuring mule bank accounts and sharing sensitive banking details via encrypted social media platforms, the DCP added.
Police said Kajaria frequently travelled abroad to establish and strengthen links with overseas fraud networks and had attempted to evade arrest by staying outside India.
Technical surveillance helped investigators trace the network to Kolkata, where several bank accounts and shell entities were found to be operating. Upon his arrival in India, Kajaria was intercepted at the airport and taken into custody.
During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to his involvement in the syndicate, police said, adding that accounts linked to his network were associated with more than 2,500 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and fraud of Rs 300 crore, the DCP said.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate had been active for the past four to five years and operated on a large scale across multiple states.
During the crackdown, police recovered 48 mobile phones, 258 SIM cards, multiple ATM cards and cheque books, four laptops, and several banking and KYC documents. Funds amounting to Rs 19 lakh have also been frozen. A total of 11 accused have been arrested in the case so far, police said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate.
