Hyderabad police crackdown on pan-India cyber fraud network, 32 bank officials among 52 held
Hyderabad (PTI): Hyderabad Police on Sunday said that they have dismantled a pan-India cyber fraud network involving bank officials by arresting 52 accused across nine states.
Under 'Operation Octopus 2.O', as many as 32 bank officials, 15 mule account holders and five middlemen were apprehended for complicity, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar said in a release.
The operation launched recently led to the arrest of bank officials who were found to be in connivance in the opening of mule bank accounts, which were used to facilitate cyber frauds, he said.
Police said there has been a significant rise in investment scams, trading frauds, and “digital arrest” scams, wherein fraudsters exploit victims through manipulation, intimidation, and emotional coercion, leading to substantial financial losses.
Recognising the seriousness of the situation, 'Operation Octopus–1' was conceptualised to deliver a decisive strike against these illegal networks. Through an intensive investigation into the surge of such frauds, the Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS), uncovered a nexus of 350 bank accounts used to siphon off victims’ funds, police said.
These accounts were linked to approximately 850 cases across the country involving transactions amounting to nearly Rs 150 crores, police said.
Accordingly, in February this year, 'Operation Octopus–1' was executed across 16 states by 32 police teams, resulting in the arrest of 117 accused persons.
Building on the outcomes of Operation Octopus–1, Operation Octopus 2.O was launched, they said.
The operation Octopus 2.O was executed simultaneously across nine states with 16 special teams deployed to identified bank official targets in Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar. The operation went on for seven days, and 52 individuals, including bank officials who played pivotal roles in the execution of the fraud, were apprehended, police said.
The mule account holders knowingly permitted their bank accounts to be used for layering and laundering illicit funds; the five key middlemen were responsible for procuring these accounts and facilitating the movement of funds to the masterminds, police added.
The entire operation was conducted under the direct supervision of DCP (Cybercrimes) V Aravind Babu and ACP (Cyber Crime police station) R G Siva Maruthi, the release added.
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Five-member panel formed to probe student suicides at NIT Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra (PTI): The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra in Haryana has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the recent case of student suicide on campus, besides forming three separate committees to look into issues faced by students.
The probe panel will interact with students, professors, wardens, and other staff.
NIT's Public Relations Officer, Prof Gian Bhushan, said on Sunday that the committee has been constituted to investigate the recent suicide cases on campus.
The panel is headed by Dean of Student Welfare Prof Lillie Dewan and includes Prof J K Kapoor, Prof Praveen Aggarwal, Dr Sandeep Singhal, and Dr Manoj Sinha.
The development comes days after a 19-year-old B.Tech student, Diksha Dubey, who hailed from Bihar, allegedly died by suicide on Thursday. Her death, which sparked protests on campus, marked the fourth such incident on the campus in the past two months.
After Dubey's death, a first-year BTech student allegedly attempted to take her own life on Friday night, police said. The female student, a Maharashtra native, allegedly threatened and tried to jump off the hostel building, but was stopped by fellow hostellers.
Prof Bhushan also informed that the administration has ordered all students to vacate the hostels by Sunday in light of the events and keeping in mind the well-being of all students.
Additionally, all UG, PG and PhD students are to be on vacation until further notice, and are required to vacate their hostels by April 19, according to a notice from the NIT administration.
Bhushan further informed that out of approximately 5,300 students residing in hostels, nearly 4,300 had left by Sunday evening, while around 1,000 students were still on campus.
Notably, the situation has been particularly challenging for students hailing from far-off states. Prof Bhushan said the administration is looking into the requests from such students to allow them to continue staying in the hostels.
The revised examination schedule, including practical examinations, will be communicated in due course. Students will be informed well in advance, before the commencement of examinations. Students have been advised to stay updated through the institute website for further announcements, the notice issued by the registrar-in-charge of NIT said on Saturday.
However, some students alleged that the notice to leave hostels has caused problems for them and disrupted their studies.
On Sunday, a 'havan' was organised at the campus of the NIT here, which has been witnessing a tense atmosphere following four suicides in past two months. Chairperson of the Board of Governors, NIT, Tejaswini Ananthkumar, who arrived on campus late Saturday evening, also participated in the ritual.
Prof Bhushan said the chairperson also visited various hotels late into the night to interact with students and assess their concerns firsthand.
She further held meetings with senior faculty members on Sunday to coordinate administrative efforts, particularly regarding arrangements for students returning home, he said.
A police investigation into Dubey's case is also currently underway.
The institute has replaced key hostel officials, including the chief warden and deputy warden of the girls' hostel.
Interacting with media persons on Saturday, the officiating Director of NIT, Prof Brahmjit, said the institute is taking students' issues seriously. He said each student has been assigned a faculty member for regular interaction. These faculty members will stay in touch with students, understand their concerns, and work towards resolving them, he said.
To further strengthen student support, the institute has also formed three separate committees.
The first committee comprises wardens who visit hostels daily and interact directly with students. The second is a mentorship committee, where one mentor is assigned to a group of 20-25 students and remains in regular contact, including through phone conversations.
The third committee includes two faculty members for each hostel, who continue to visit regularly and engage with students to understand their problems.
An NIT student told reporters here that "there is a gap between students and faculty/management, which should be properly addressed. Merely assigning mentors is not going to solve the problem". Another student noted, "Students are traumatised at four suicides in just two months."
A heavy police force has been deployed outside the campus gate to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, the developments have triggered strong reactions from various student bodies, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Students' Federation of India (SFI), and Indian National Students' Union (INSU), all of which have extended support to students and raised concerns over the handling of the situation.
Expressing serious concern over the recurring incidents, the ABVP urged authorities to act decisively and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that both the police and the institute administration are trying to suppress the matter.
It urged the government to take immediate cognisance and ensure transparency in the investigation. The organisation also appealed to students not to take extreme steps and to voice their concerns fearlessly.
The SFI, in a statement, accused the administration of attempting to downplay the matter by terming the suicides as "personal issues" and demanded accountability along with a fair and impartial inquiry.
Student organisations have also announced plans to hold a candle march, stating that the situation on campus is "completely unacceptable" and warrants urgent intervention.
