Police bust bogus call centre operating from Navi Mumbai mall and targeting people in US
FIR against 23 persons
Thane (PTI): Police have busted a bogus call centre operating from a mall in Vashi area of Navi Mumbai township and registered an FIR against 23 people in this connection, including its owner and manager, an official said on Sunday.
The accused posed as representatives of US companies and sold medicines like Viagra and Cialis to people there. They obtained details of credit/debit cards of the people and cheated them, the official from Vashi police station said.
Several gadgets, besides hard discs and electrical accessories worth Rs 3.97 lakh were recovered following a raid at the call centre on Saturday, he said.
The accused made outbound calls using VCdial/Nextiva software. They made the calls through gateway bypass and VOIP, the official said, adding the accused were caught red-handed while indulging in such acts.
The call center owner allegedly purchased the data of people in the US from a person based at Malad in neighbouring Mumbai and the employees used pseudo names to call up those people to sell the drugs.
The drugs sale proceeds were credited into the account of an Indian company at a bank branch in Kharghar area, the official said.
An FIR was registered against 23 people under Indian Penal Code sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Telegraph Act, the official said.
On Saturday, the Navi Mumbai police also busted a similar bogus call centre operating from a mall in Nerul area and registered a case against 13 persons in that connection.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
