Fake call centre duping foreigners busted in Thane; five detained
Thane (PTI): The Thane police have unearthed a bogus call centre that allegedly cheated foreign nationals, particularly US citizens, under the pretext of selling software, an official said on Wednesday.
Five persons, including the call centre owner, were detained after a raid at the premises in the Ambernath area of Maharashtra's Thane district late Tuesday night, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ambernath division) Shailesh Kale told PTI.
The bogus facility was operating from a business centre and functioned under the garb of providing software services, the official said.
"The call centre staff targeted foreign nationals, especially Americans. They contacted them on the phone, lured them with offers of software services and extracted money from them in different forms," Kale said.
The police received a tip-off about the illegal operations and raided the premises. The search operation continued till Wednesday morning, he said.
The employees used to make hundreds of calls to foreign nationals daily and would eventually succeed in duping a few of them, Senior Police Inspector Shabbir Sayyed said.
"They collected advance payments from the victims and blocked them after receiving the money," he said, explaining the modus operandi.
The employees were provided with a specific script for conversations to gain the victims' confidence and persuade them to transfer funds, he added.
The police have seized electronic gadgets and other accessories used in the alleged racket from the premises.
A case has been registered against five persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Indian Telegraph Act, Kale said.
The police were verifying the victims' credentials and nationality.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
West Bengal: EC orders suspension of joint BDO ahead of polls
Kolkata (PTI): The Election Commission on Friday ordered the immediate suspension of a joint block development officer (BDO) in poll-bound West Bengal and directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against her.
The poll body, however, did not mention the grounds for the action.
In a letter to the chief secretary of West Bengal, the poll panel said the action against Jyotsna Khatun, the joint BDO of Purba Bardhaman district's Khandaghosh, is based on a recommendation from the chief electoral officer of the state.
"The commission has agreed to the proposal and directs that Jyotsna Khatun be suspended and disciplinary action be initiated against her immediately," the EC stated in its letter to the West Bengal chief secretary.
Khatun had been notified as the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for the 259-Khandaghosh Assembly Constituency.
The poll panel has asked authorities to implement the order "with immediate effect" and submit a compliance report by 11 am of Saturday.
The letter also instructed the authorities to urgently propose a replacement for the vacant post.
