Karkala: Man duped of Rs 15.5 lakh in online scam via messaging app
Udupi (Karnataka), Jul 23 (PTI): A 34-year-old man has allegedly lost over Rs 15.5 lakh to an online scam after being lured into a fraudulent investment scheme via a messaging app, police said on Wednesday.
The victim, identified as Ashwith, filed a complaint at the Karkala town police station, following which an FIR was registered under the Information Technology Act, they added.
Ashwith, according to police, received a WhatsApp message on January 28, 2025, from a number registered under the name Meena Sakpal, inviting him to join an "S-coin investment task" through the app.
Believing the message to be "genuine", he followed the instructions, shared his account details, and made multiple payments between January 29 and June 19, 2025.
The funds, totalling Rs 15,52,650, were transferred from his Maharashtra Bank account in Mangaluru to a UPI-linked account. After making the payments, he was asked to invest more and later told to pay a tax to retrieve his money, a senior police officer said.
When the funds were not returned, Ashwith approached the police.
Further investigation is underway, police added.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
