‘Pregnancy job’ scam uncovered in Bihar, cyber police arrest man in Nawada
Patna: Bihar Police have uncovered a bizarre cyber fraud operation in Nawada district in which unsuspecting men were lured through social media advertisements promising large cash rewards for impregnating childless women, along with offers of free sex, easy loans and fake employment.
The scam, promoted online under titles such as “All India Pregnant Job”, targeted users through Facebook and WhatsApp. Advertisements claimed that men could earn up to ₹10 lakh by participating in the scheme, with assurances that even failed attempts would fetch partial payment. Victims were further enticed with photographs of women and misleading service names such as “Playboy Service”, “Dhani Finance” and “SBI cheap loans”.
Police said the fraudsters demanded money in the name of registration fees, hotel bookings and other preliminary expenses. Payments were collected in stages, with demands continuing until victims realised they had been deceived. Many affected individuals reportedly lost substantial amounts of money but refrained from approaching authorities due to fear of social stigma.
Following an investigation by a Special Investigation Team, the Nawada Cyber Police arrested Ranjan Kumar, a resident of the district. A minor involved in the operation was also taken into custody. Four mobile phones allegedly used to carry out the fraud were also seized during the operation.
Superintendent of Police Abhinav Dhiman said a case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, while adding that similar cyber fraud cases had surfaced in the district earlier, with victims being blackmailed and extorted after initial contact.
Police officials said that despite previous arrests, the “pregnancy job” narrative continued to attract victims across age groups seeking quick money or illicit offers. Nishu Mallik, in-charge of the Nawada Cyber Police Station and Deputy Superintendent of Police, have now urged the public to remain cautious and not trust unusual or tempting claims circulating on social media.
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Woman shot dead in Delhi; police suspect link to 2023 murder of her husband
New Delhi (PTI): A 44-year-old woman was shot dead at point-blank range in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday, with police suspecting the killing to be a fallout of the 2023 murder of her husband, an official said.
The deceased was identified as Rachna Yadav, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and the resident welfare association (RWA) president of her locality. According to police, she was shot in the head and died on the spot.
Police said Rachna was originally from Bhalswa village in north-west Delhi. Investigators suspect that the murder is linked to the killing of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was shot dead in 2023. The case concerning that murder is currently under trial.
"In the 2023 case, Vijendra Yadav was allegedly murdered due to previous enmity. Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five of the accused were arrested and are facing trial, the main accused, Bharat Yadav, is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender," a senior police officer said.
Police said Rachna was the main witness in her husband's murder case, and her testimony was considered vital for the prosecution. Investigators believe her killing may have been aimed at weakening the case and intimidating other witnesses.
CCTV footage has surfaced in the Rachna Yadav murder case, clearly capturing the accused who allegedly shot her. Police said the assailant's accomplice was already waiting nearby on a sports bike bearing a Delhi registration number, facilitating a swift escape, according to an official.
Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station, reporting that a woman had been shot.
Local police teams rushed to the spot and found Rachna lying on the road in a pool of blood. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene, officials said.
According to the investigation, when Rachna was returning after meeting a neighbour, two assailants intercepted her. One of them allegedly stopped her and asked her name. When she identified herself, the attacker pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head before fleeing the spot along with his accomplice, police said.
Preliminary inquiry suggested that the woman was targeted, and the assailants appeared to have prior knowledge about her identity and movements.
"Crime Team and FSL teams were immediately called, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the assailants," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.
Prima facie, it appears that the present case is linked to the earlier murder, he said. "We are re-examining all aspects of the 2023 case and the role of the proclaimed offender (Bharat)," Singh said, adding that multiple teams have been formed to trace the shooters and those who may have masterminded the crime.
Speaking to reporters, Kanika Yadav, the deceased's elder daughter, alleged that the murder was planned by Bharat.
"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," she alleged.
Kanika claimed her mother was killed because she was standing firm as a witness in her father's murder case.
"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she said.
Police said Rachna is survived by two daughters, one of whom is married, while the younger daughter lived with her. Security has been stepped up in the area, and further investigation is underway, police added.
