Janasena MLA loses Rs 12 lakh in fake RTA challan cyber fraud
Polavaram (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): Andhra Pradesh police have registered a cyber fraud case after Janasena MLA C Balaraju lost Rs 12 lakh by clicking on a malicious APK file, a police official said on Sunday.
According to police, the incident occurred on March 6 when the legislator unknowingly accessed the fraudulent link, leading to unauthorised transactions from his bank account, following which he approached the National Cyber Crime Helpline and registered a complaint.
"We have registered a case after Janasena MLA C Balaraju from Polavaram constituency lost Rs 12 lakh by clicking on a malicious Android Package Kit (APK) file posing as an Road Transport Authority (RTA) challan," the official told PTI.
Fraudsters have transferred all amounts from the MLA's account after he clicked on the suspicious APK file, he said.
The complaint was later forwarded to the local police station on March 21 for further investigation, he added.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case under Section 318(4) BNS and Section 66 D of the IT Act and initiated a probe into the incident.
According to police, bank statements revealed that the withdrawn amount was traced to an ATM located in West Bengal.
It is suspected the involvement of an organised gang, possibly with international links, behind the cyber fraud, the official added.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
