Fake call centre busted in Kolkata, 10 arrested
Kolkata (PTI): A fake call centre was busted in Kolkata's Kasba area on Wednesday and 10 people working there were arrested, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided a building in Kasba and found several people, mostly from outside West Bengal, making calls using mobile phones.
They had also sent WhatsApp texts, allegedly promising rewards and prizes using forged documents carrying the names, logos and seals of several organisations, a police officer said.
They also created a fake lottery website of a southern state using doctored images of government officials and ministers from there, he said.
"The website link was allegedly shared with victims to induce them to transfer money as processing or registration fees into anonymous bank accounts through various payment modes," he added.
Thirty mobile phones, one laptop, several incriminating materials and fake identity cards of financial companies were seized during the raid, he added.
"The arrested persons claimed to have received payments or commissions from an individual in Kharagpur, and investigators suspect that others from the industrial town and neighbouring areas may also be involved," he added.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
