Gujarat: Rs 2.69 cr extorted from businessman with nude video call threat; 11 booked
Ahmedabad, Jan 12: A Gujarat businessman allegedly lost Rs 2.69 crore in a 'sextortion' trap, a police official said on Thursday.
The victim, who runs a renewable energy firm, got a call on August 8 last year from a woman who identified herself as Ria Sharma from Morbi, he said.
"She later convinced him to take off his clothes during a video call. She then cut the call abruptly and the victim was asked to pay Rs 50,000 so that his nude video clip is not circulated," the official said.
"Some days later, the victim got a call from a man who claimed he was inspector Guddu Sharma of Delhi police. He extorted Rs 3 lakh claiming the video clip was in his possession," he added.
On August 14, another man who introduced himself as a Delhi police cyber cell personnel sought Rs 80.97 lakh claiming the woman had attempted suicide, the official said.
"He paid the money. Then the victim got calls from a fake CBI official who demanded Rs 8.5 lakh to settle the case after claiming the woman's mother had approached the central probe agency. He continued paying money till December 15 till a fake Delhi High Court order stating the case had been closed made him suspicious," the official said.
He than approached the Cyber Crime Branch police station on January 10 and lodged a complaint against 11 persons claiming they had extorted Rs 2.69 crore, the official added.
The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code section 387 (extortion), 170 (impersonation as public servant), 465 (forgery) 420 (cheating) and 120-b (criminal conspiracy), among other offences, the official informed.
No one has been arrested in the case so far and a probe was underway, he added.
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Yenepoya University conducts autism awareness campaign in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The Department of Occupational Therapy at Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) conducted a community-based Autism Awareness Campaign at Fiza Mall and Ullal Beach in the city.
The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, inclusion, and early identification of autism, in line with the global theme, “Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value.”
The programme was led by Dr. Dhayanithi K and Dr. Ananya Jana as organising chairpersons, with Dr. Anas, Dr. Amanda S. Phillip, and Dr. Ansu V. David served as organising members.
Students of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programme participated in conducting the campaign.
The event included activities such as flash mobs, street plays, face painting, mehendi, and direct interaction with the public.
These activities focused on highlighting early signs of autism, the need for early intervention, and the importance of inclusion and acceptance of individuals with autism.
The campaign reached around 300 to 500 members of the public. It also provided students with practical exposure to community-based rehabilitation and public health education.
As part of the initiative, QR-based digital resources were introduced to help the public access reliable information on autism.
“Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes,” the organising team said.
The department thanked the university for its support in organising the campaign. It also acknowledged the cooperation of the management of Fiza Mall and the Ullal Beach Police Department in facilitating the event.
