K'taka Contractors' association welcomes clearing of Rs 600 cr worth pending bills
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Contractors' Association on Tuesday welcomed the clearing of Rs 600 crore worth of pending bills of 1,054 small contractors in the Public Works Department.
The association president D Kempanna, however, reiterated his stand that the ''package system'' -- dividing contracts into different sections and allotting them to various contractors -- was leading to corruption.
''All the pending bills of 1,054 contractors have been cleared,'' Kempanna told a press conference.
He said the association has appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar to clear the pending bills in various government departments including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city civic body.
''Our struggle is continuing against the package system. We are exploring the legal options regarding the pending bills in the police housing corporation,'' Kempanna said.
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The octogenarian said: ''We demand that the package system should be abolished. This is leading to corruption.'' Kempanna alleged last week that the practice of 40 per cent kickbacks on government contracts continues even under the Congress regime.
Accusing officials in the state government of rampant corruption, he said, earlier (during the previous BJP regime) public representatives were demanding bribes, now it's their turn.
''Corruption is on in Karnataka by the officials. Till now, no MLA, MP or Minister has asked us for money. Earlier MLAs used to ask for a specified amount to give us a contract for work, that is not the situation now. Now the officials come and ask -- give money, if you want work,'' Kempanna said.
The association under the leadership of Kempanna earlier alleged ''harassment'' by ministers, elected representatives and others during the previous BJP regime, accusing them of demanding 40 per cent commission for awarding contracts and clearing bills, and had even written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
During the 2023 assembly polls, the Congress made the association's charge a major campaign issue to dub the BJP as being ''corrupt''.
The ''package system'' is being followed to take up projects in all departments, Kempanna said.
''This is being done with the intention to keep away local contractors and favour contractors from neighboring states. Due to the package system, local, small-medium contractors of the state are facing problems as they are not getting the work,'' he said.
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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.
