Jayalalithaa's jewels to be handed over to TN govt in first week of March, says Karnataka court
Bengaluru (PTI): A special court here has said 27 kg of gold and diamond jewelry - part of the material evidence in the disproportionate assets case against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa and others - would be handed over to the neighbouring state's government on March 6 and 7, paving the way for unlocking value of the assets to mobilise the Rs 100 crore fine imposed on her. While 20 kg could be sold or auctioned, the remaining was exempted by the Court on Monday considering the fact that the late Jayalalithaa inherited them from her mother.
Judge H A Mohan, presiding over the XXXII Additional City Civil & Sessions court, had last month directed the transfer of valuables seized from Jayalalithaa to the Tamil Nadu government.
The TN Government will then take necessary action on the disposal of these gold and diamond jewelery, it had said.
The trial was held in Karnataka on the direction of the Supreme Court and therefore all material evidence is in the Karnataka treasury now under the custody of the court.
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The court had earlier held that the kin of Jayalalithaa were not entitled for the properties which are confiscated by the State. The Special CBI Court had thus rejected the petition filed by J Deepa and J Deepak, the niece and nephew of Jayalalithaa, respectively.
Ordering the transfer of the jewels to the Tamil Nadu Government, the Special Court judge had said, "Instead of auctioning the jewels, it is better to transfer the same to Tamil Nadu by handing over the same through the Department of Home, State of Tamil Nadu."
The Court had then issued the direction that the Tamil Nadu Home Department to authorise "competent persons preferably in the rank of Secretary along with police to come and collect the jewels."
In the same order, the Special Court had ordered the payment of Rs five crore to Karnataka for the expenses of the trial conducted in the State. The payment will be made from a fixed deposit in an account related to Jayalalithaa in the State Bank of India branch in Chennai.
The disproportionate assets trial against Jayalalithaa, her former close aide V Sasikala, V N Sudhakaran, who is the disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, and Sasikala's sister-in-law J Ilavarasi was conducted by the Special Court in Bengaluru, which convicted them nearly ten years ago.
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Delhi Police busts Rs 300 crore international cyber fraud syndicate, arrests mastermind
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate -- linked with over 2,000 complaints and scams worth over Rs 300 crore -- with the arrest of its alleged mastermind and 10 others, an official said on Sunday.
During the investigation, police uncovered a well-organised network operating across multiple states with links to international cyber fraud syndicates, particularly in Cambodia.
"We have so far identified over 260 bank accounts linked to more than 100 fictitious companies used to channel the proceeds of crime. The total number of complaints linked to the syndicate stands at 2,567," police said.
The key accused, Karan Kajaria, was apprehended at Kolkata airport on April 3 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him. He was brought to Delhi a day later for further investigation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said.
The case came to light following a complaint by a city resident, Sultan, who alleged that he was duped of Rs 31.45 lakh after being lured into an investment scheme.
Police said the victim was persuaded to download a fake trading application and invest money with promises of high returns. However, when he attempted to withdraw the profits, the application stopped functioning, and the group became inaccessible.
"An FIR was registered at the cyber police station in northeast and later transferred to the crime branch for a detailed probe," the officer said.
The syndicate created fake investment platforms and messaging groups to lure victims. They used mule bank accounts arranged through intermediaries and deployed malicious applications to capture sensitive banking details, including OTPs. Funds collected from victims were routed through a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to conceal the trail, police said.
"Kajaria, who is believed to be the main coordinator, maintained direct links with foreign-based operators and facilitated the movement of funds through cryptocurrency channels,' the DCP said.
He acted as a bridge between Indian operatives and international cyber criminals. He was also involved in procuring mule bank accounts and sharing sensitive banking details via encrypted social media platforms, the DCP added.
Police said Kajaria frequently travelled abroad to establish and strengthen links with overseas fraud networks and had attempted to evade arrest by staying outside India.
Technical surveillance helped investigators trace the network to Kolkata, where several bank accounts and shell entities were found to be operating. Upon his arrival in India, Kajaria was intercepted at the airport and taken into custody.
During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to his involvement in the syndicate, police said, adding that accounts linked to his network were associated with more than 2,500 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and fraud of Rs 300 crore, the DCP said.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate had been active for the past four to five years and operated on a large scale across multiple states.
During the crackdown, police recovered 48 mobile phones, 258 SIM cards, multiple ATM cards and cheque books, four laptops, and several banking and KYC documents. Funds amounting to Rs 19 lakh have also been frozen. A total of 11 accused have been arrested in the case so far, police said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate.
