Man from Punjab arrested for extorting money from doctor using ''digital arrest'' threat
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): The Kannur City Cyber Police have arrested a man in connection with the extortion of Rs 10.5 lakh from a female doctor from Thalassery in this north Kerala district.
The accused, Jivan Ram (28) from Ludhiana in Punjab, had allegedly threatened the doctor with a "digital arrest" to coerce her into paying the money.
According to the police, the incident happened on November 30, 2025.
The fraudsters, pretending to be officers from the CBI in Mumbai, contacted the doctor over a WhatsApp video call.
They claimed a money laundering case was filed in her name and pressured her to transfer money to settle the matter.
The doctor allegedly sent Rs 10,50,000 across different accounts, which the accused later withdrew via cheque.
Digital arrest is a form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement, court officials or personnel from government agencies to intimidate victims through audio and video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to transfer money.
The Kannur City Police, following instructions from Police Commissioner Nidhinraj P, tracked the accused to a village in Ludhiana.
Despite the accused constantly changing locations and a Kerala police team facing harsh weather conditions in Punjab, the accused was caught after five days of surveillance, police said.
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.
NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
