Five arrested at Bengaluru airport in counterfeit cigarette racket
Bengaluru: The Bengaluru International Airport police have busted a counterfeit cigarette racket operating through international channels and arrested five accused, including a father-son duo.
According to The New Indian Express, the accused have been identified as Abdul Bashid of HRBR Layout, his son Mohammed Ashiq, and Mohammed Anwar Ibrahim, Mohammed Atar Ansari, and Ghulam Hussain, all residents of Chennai.
Police said the counterfeit contraband worth about Rs 50 lakh, imported by the accused, were seized at the parking area of Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport on Saturday.
ALSO READ: KSRTC MD Akram Pasha receives SKOCH National Award for transparent recruitment initiative
The case was registered following a complaint by N. Rajesh, a field executive of Anvesh IPR Services Company, associated with ITC, complained about a network that was defrauding people by importing fake cigarettes from abroad in the names of various companies, including ITC.
“On Saturday morning, an operation was conducted based on specific information about the import of fake brand cigarettes from Cambodia and supplying them to states, including Tamil Nadu, and five accused, including Abdul Bashid, were arrested. Twenty cigarette boxes were seized,” said an officer.
“The accused were in touch with a network of counterfeiters in Cambodia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore, and were importing them from there at a low price, under the name of ITC company. They were then supplying them to various places including Bengaluru, Chennai and Telangana for huge profits,” the officer said.
Police suspect the racket had been operating for several years. A case has been registered against the accused under provisions related to copyright infringement, and further investigation is underway.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka records 274 springs in first statewide census, majority located in Western Ghats
Hubballi: In its first-ever comprehensive census conducted during 2023-24, Karnataka has identified 274 natural springs across the State with 144 classified as perennial, 114 as seasonal and 16 reported to have dried up.
The enumeration was carried out by the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department in association with the Groundwater Directorate as part of a Union government initiative, according to a Deccan Herald report. Officials were quoted as saying that the nine-month exercise involved field visits to nearly all identified springs. These springs were digitally mapped using a dedicated mobile application.
Belagavi district recorded the highest number of springs at 59, followed by Uttara Kannada with 31, while Chamarajanagar and Kodagu reported 23 each. Dharwad, Ramanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Davangere and Kolar districts have one spring each.
Bendru Teertha in Dakshina Kannada is the only hot spring documented in the State, which is attributed to a distinct hydrological formation. Springs in Talacauvery in Kodagu, Javali in Chikkamagaluru and Ambutheertha in Shivamogga, are the source points of major rivers such as the Cauvery, Hemavathi and Sharavathi.
According to the directorate, springs are natural discharge points where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust, which occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults or permeable rock layers.
The Western Ghats and Malnad regions, covering districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi and Shivamogga, account for a significant share of the springs due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions.
K B Rajendra, Director of the Groundwater Directorate, was quoted by Deccan Herald as saying that nearly 80 per cent of the springs are located in rural areas. He noted that apart from those associated with religious or historical sites, most springs remain open and lack protective measures.
Noting their vital contributions to drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation, especially in areas with hills and mountains, Rajendra said that these springs help maintain the flow of rivers and streams when the weather is dry, thereby supporting ecological balance and promoting biodiversity.
He added that the census findings would serve as a database for conservation, rejuvenation efforts, groundwater management and long-term water resource planning in the State.
