Bengaluru: Seven arrested for posing as officials, robbing professor of Rs 1.5 crore
Bengaluru: Seven individuals have been arrested by the Yelahanka Police for allegedly impersonating government officials and robbing a city-based professor of Rs 1.5 crore in cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 2.5 lakh.
The arrested are Shankarappa, Rajendra Jain, Hemanth Jain, Srinivas Gowda, Jagan Mohan, Srinivas and Kiran Jain, as reported by Deccan Herald on Sunday.
Police investigations revealed that Shankarappa, a former driver of the victim, Giriraj Kumar, was the mastermind behind the heist. Shankarappa became aware of the large amount of cash Kumar had received following a recent real estate transaction and conspired with his associates—many of whom are reportedly involved in the real estate business.
Four members of the gang entered Kumar’s residence in Vinayaka Nagar, posing as officials from a so-called “government enforcement wing” on September 19. They threatened Kumar, his wife, and his mother, while four others waited outside, keeping watch.
The suspects searched the house and fled with the documents and a suitcase containing cash. Kumar told the police that the suspects had fled with Rs 1.50 crore cash and 2.50 lakh worth of gold ornaments, added the report.
Following a police investigation, all seven accused were apprehended, and Rs 1.27 crore in cash was recovered. One suspect remains at large. The arrested individuals are in judicial custody.
“During subsequent raids at the premises of the suspect, the seals, documents, visiting cards were recovered. A separate case will be registered,” DH quoted Seemant Kumar Singh, Bengaluru city police commissioner, as saying.
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Chhattisgarh govt enforces austerity measures, restricts foreign travel and cuts convoy vehicles
Raipur (PTI): The Chhattisgarh government on Saturday rolled out a set of austerity measures, including restricted use of convoy vehicles for the chief minister, ministers and heads of state-run bodies, besides curbs on foreign travel at government expense.
The state has decided to implement the cost-saving steps with immediate effect to ensure efficient management of financial resources and discipline in public spending, said a directive issued by Finance Secretary Rohit Yadav.
The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The order said that only essential vehicles should be used in the convoys of the CM, ministers and office-bearers of corporations, boards and commissions, while ensuring restrained use of other government resources.
It also directed departments to take steps for a phased conversion of all official vehicles into electric vehicles in order to promote the use of EVs.
As part of fuel-saving measures, expenditure on petrol and diesel for government vehicles should be kept to a minimum, the directive said.
Vehicle pooling arrangements should also be implemented for officials of departments travelling to the same destination, it added.
The order further stated that foreign travel of government employees at state expenses will be completely prohibited except under extremely unavoidable circumstances. In such cases, prior approval of the CM will be mandatory.
To reduce administrative expenditure, departments have been instructed to hold physical meetings preferably only once a month and encourage virtual and online meetings. Regular departmental review meetings should compulsorily be conducted through video conferencing, it said.
The government also stressed the need for energy conservation in its offices, directing that all electrical equipment, including lights, fans, air-conditioners and computers, must be switched off after office hours.
The directive will remain effective till September 30 this year.
Amid the war involving the US, Israel and Iran, Modi has suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of EVs, utilising railway services for parcel movement and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.
