Man falls for WhatsApp ad and tries to sell kidney for Rs 1.6 crore
New Delhi : At some point of time in our lives, especially in our younger days, we have all joked about selling our kidney because we were broke or wanted to buy something which was completely out of budget.
But seems like this Bangalore man took it very seriously when he actually tried to sell his kidney for Rs 1.6 crore. He claimed that he had seen an internet ad that a famous senior doctor from Columbia Asia Hospital in Bangalore had posted.
The man who has been identified as MB Somashekar claimed that Dr Arun Wesley David, the HoD of Renal Transplant Surgery at the hospital had posted this ad on a website he doesn't remember the name of.
Since Somashekar, a stenographer by profession, was in dire need of money, he decided to sell one of his kidneys. He apparently even talked to someone impersonating as Dr David and the impersonator promised him a sum of Rs 1.6 crores for his kidney.
Somashekar then approached Aprajita Dhal, transplant coordinator at the hospital, and told her that he came to know about Dr Arun Wesley David through a website and he had had a Whatsapp conversation with him.
According to a report in a leading newspaper, an officer investigating the case said:
"Somashekar is said to have shown Dhal WhatsApp messages and subsequent conversations on various dates where Dr David’ allegedly had been in contact with him about the sale of his kidney. However, he could not remember the name of the website or its URL."
The impersonator had asked Somashekar to go to the hospital with his Aadhaar card and other identity proofs so that the formalities for the sale could be completed.
The hospital was in for a rude shock when this man walked in and made these claims. After the incident, Dr David said that the number used in the Whatsapp conversations wasn't his and someone was impersonating him to fool people. He filed a legal complaint regarding the same.
The Cyber Police has registered a case under section 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and 120B (criminal conspiracy) 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with other sections of the IPC.
This incident brings to light the sorry state of affairs in our country and how one needs to be careful and vigilant at all times lest they be fooled.
courtesy : indiatoday.in
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.
Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
