Hassan: 35 year-old farmer arrested after extorting Rs 22.40 lakh for 'digitally' arresting teacher
Hassan: A young farmer from Hassan district has been arrested by the Economic, Cyber and Narcotics Crime police for allegedly impersonating authorities online, digitally arresting a teacher, and extorting Rs 22.40 lakh from her.
The arrested has been identified as Arun Kumar (35) of Koratikere village in Belur taluk, as reported by Deccan Herald on Thursday.
The arrested person was produced before a judge and his bank account containing Rs 1.90 lakh was frozen. Meanwhile, two other accused remain absconding.
The accused, who contacted the teacher on February 5, posed as employees of Blue Dot Courier based in Mumbai. They claimed that drugs along with medicines were found in a parcel being sent to Dubai and used this allegation to threaten her with a police case. During the interaction, they had also obtained her Aadhaar card and email address, according to the police.
"A woman who made a WhatsApp call and introduced herself as a DCP and digitally arrested a teacher. She threatened that the teacher’s bank account details and ATM card were found with the accused, who was arrested in a hawala money transfer case. To resolve the legal complications of the bank account, she transferred Rs 22.40 lakhs to two bank accounts," DH quoted the police as saying.
The teacher had lodged a complaint at the police station on March 12. The investigation, led by DySP Bankali Nagappa, resulted in the arrest of one accused.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the two remaining suspects.
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send a message that "Muslims are being targeted."
"I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi," he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, "People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline."
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of CM’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun. They were also said to have not actively participated in campaigning.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to CM Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the chief minister.
Rejecting allegations of factions within the party, Shivakumar said, "We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?"
"All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress," he added, saying there are no factions within the party and such claims are media-driven.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
"We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together," he said.
