Cybercrime cases drop in Karnataka due to strict policing: Home Minister
Belagavi (Suvarna Vidhana Soudha): Cybercrime cases in Karnataka have declined significantly due to strict measures taken by the Police Department, Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
Responding to a question raised by BJP member Cement Manju during the Question Hour, the Minister said that 52,000 cybercrime cases were reported in the state over the last four years. In 2023, a total of 22,250 cases were registered, of which 6,159 were detected. The fraud amount stood at around ₹880 crore, and ₹177 crore was recovered.
In 2024, 28,478 cases were reported, involving fraud of ₹2,562 crore, with ₹323 crore recovered. In 2025, 13,000 cases have been registered so far, with fraud amounting to ₹2,038 crore, of which ₹127 crore has been recovered. He noted that cybercrime numbers have come down and the government along with the Police Department is taking measures to curb fraud.
Earlier, BJP member Cement Manju raised concerns over the rise in online gaming-related frauds, stating that youths were falling prey despite preventive actions. He said arrests were not happening as expected and that Karnataka continued to report a high number of cases. He urged the government to take stronger steps, noting that victims lose money even before they can report complaints to the central helpline.
‘Betting on Chief Minister’s post’
Commenting on cyber betting, BJP member Sunil Kumar remarked that while the government’s efforts to curb cyber betting were welcome, a new trend had emerged where bets were being placed on who should become the next Chief Minister. He asked what action the government had taken in this regard.
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.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
