Mangaluru contractor loses Rs 15 lakh to scammers
Mangaluru, May 5: A con artist, impersonating a CBI officer, defrauded a contractor in Mangaluru of over Rs 15 lakh by falsely claiming to file a case against him, police said on Sunday.
The victim, a resident of Kottara, was ensnared in this elaborate scam after receiving a distressing call on April 25, they said.
The caller, posing as a CBI official, alleged that threatening calls had originated from the victim's mobile number, coupled with rumors of financial misconduct, police said.
Claiming a case had been registered with the Mumbai CBI office, the imposter threatened to suspend the victim's mobile number unless immediate action was taken, a senior police officer said.
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The situation intensified when the call was transferred to another individual, purportedly a senior CBI officer, who exploited the victim's fear by warning of dire consequences, including the confiscation of bank accounts for alleged misappropriation of funds, he said.
To ostensibly clear his name from the fabricated case, the victim was coerced into transferring Rs 2.99 lakh to a designated account, the officer added.
According to the CEN Police, the victim, trapped in a web of deceit, later received a ‘formal notice’ from the impostor, offering a chance to absolve himself from the fictitious charges by complying with further demands. Succumbing to pressure, the contractor made additional transfers totalling Rs 15,01,049 as instructed by the fraudsters.
Realising that he had fallen victim to a scam, the contractor lodged a formal complaint with the cyber police on May 3, initiating an investigation into the fraudulent activities, police said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
