Mangaluru: Woman duped of Rs 3.16 cr in 'digital arrest' fraud
Mangaluru (PTI): A woman from Mangaluru lost over Rs 3.16 crore after fraudsters posing as police manipulated her into transferring the money under the pretext of a "digital arrest", police said.
The woman (40), who has requested anonymity, lodged a complaint with the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime (CEN) police station.
According to the complaint, she received a call on June 6 from a person claiming to be an officer from the National Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
The caller alleged that a SIM card registered in her husband's name was being "misused". The call was transferred multiple times, eventually to someone posing as a public prosecutor, they said.
Over the following weeks, the fraudsters collected her personal and banking details and instructed her to make several fund transfers, assuring her that the money would be returned after verification.
It started with one person posing as police, but eventually, several people became involved in the scam. Between June 10 and 27, she transferred Rs 3.16 crore to various bank accounts provided by the accused.
Police said the woman approached them only after confiding in her children and realising she had been duped.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
A similar fraud was recently reported in Hyderabad, the police said and urged the public to be cautious when responding to unknown callers posing as "law enforcement authorities".
A ‘digital arrest’ is a tactic where scammers exploit fear to take control of a person's digital presence and extort money or personal data.
Masquerading as law enforcement or government officials, they keep victims under constant video surveillance on platforms like Skype until they extract the demanded payments or data.
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Fresh case registered against activist Snehamayi Krishna
Bengaluru PTI): A fresh FIR has been registered against social activist Snehamayi Krishna for making defamatory statements against a woman.
Basaveshwara Nagar Police Station registered a First Information Report against Krishna on Saturday.
According to the FIR, complainant Pavithra B N (37) alleged that a letter dated December 5 was delivered to her residence, in which Snehamayi Krishna made defamatory allegations regarding the death of her husband and against her advocate, Raghu.
The letter also indicated that a complaint had been submitted to the Mahalakshmipuram Police Station seeking reinvestigation into her husband’s death.
The complainant further alleged that a threatening note was enclosed with the letter, pressuring her to withdraw cases filed against a man named Mylaraappa.
She stated that the mobile number of the person exerting pressure was mentioned in the letter.
Pavithra claimed that the alleged actions had caused severe distress to her family, disrupted her children’s education, created unrest at home and deprived them of peace.
She also accused the persons named in the complaint of using abusive language and issuing life threats.
Police initially registered a non-cognisable report.
After Pavithra obtained permission from the 24th ACMM Court to initiate criminal proceedings, an FIR was formally registered against Snehamayi Krishna and Mylaraappa as per the court’s direction.
Krishna has previously been in the news for lodging complaints and making allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, and others for obtaining Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites (plots) against the rules.
The Lokayukta police which investigated the matter filed a closure report, which the special court of public representatives admitted.
On Thursday, he also levelled accusations against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh along with a Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) officer D B Natesh, the former MUDA Commissioner.
Shalini Rajneesh's office rejected the charges categorically and termed his accusations "defamatory".
On Saturday he apologised for making allegations against the Chief Secretary.
