Software engineer in Bengaluru loses Rs 11.8 crore to 'digital arrest' scam
Bengaluru, Dec 23: A 39-year-old software engineer became a victim to a "digital arrest" scam and lost Rs 11.8 crore when fraudsters impersonating police officials claimed that his Aadhaar card was being misused to open bank accounts for money laundering, police said on Monday.
The fraud occurred between November 25 and December 12, they said.
According to police, in his complaint, the victim alleged that on November 11, he received a call from a person who claimed to be an officer of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The alleged officer claimed that his SIM card, which was linked to the Aadhaar card, was used for illegal advertisements and harassment messages.
The fraudster further alleged that a case was registered in connection with this in Mumbai's Colaba Cyber Police Station.
Later, he got a call from a person claiming to be a police officer alleging that his Aadhaar details were being misused to open bank accounts for money laundering, the FIR stated.
The fraudster warned him to keep the matter confidential and also allegedly threatened him that if he did not cooperate with the virtual investigation, he would be physically arrested.
Then, he also got a call from a person asking him to download the Skype app following which a man, allegedly dressed in Mumbai police uniform video-called him and claimed that a businessman had opened a bank account using his Aadhaar to conduct transactions worth Rs 6 crore, the FIR further stated.
However, on November 25, another man in police uniform called him over Skype and alleged that his case was being heard in the top court and threatened to arrest his family if he did not comply, according to the complainant.
Citing a fake Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, the fraudsters allegedly asked him to transfer funds to certain accounts on the pretext of "verification purposes" or face legal consequences.
According to the FIR, the victim transferred a total sum of Rs 11.8 crore in multiple transactions to various bank accounts over a period of time, fearing arrest. However, when they started demanding for more money, the victim realised that he had fallen prey to fraudsters and lodged a complaint with the police.
A case has been registered under the IT Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and cheating by impersonation, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
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Odisha govt halts salaries of 5 teachers after school fire injures 4 students
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The Odisha government on Tuesday halted the salaries of five teachers and issued show-cause notices to other staff of a state-run high school in Rayagada district, a day after four students sustained severe burn injuries in a fire incident on the premises of the institute.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond told PTI that he has directed the department secretary to submit a detailed report on the incident and ordered a departmental inquiry to ascertain negligence, if any.
The students suffered burn injuries while playing around a fire during school hours.
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“The department has stopped the salaries of five teachers and issued show-cause notices to other staff members in connection with the incident,” he said.
The minister said that further action would be taken against teachers or staff if negligence in duty was established.
School and Mass Education Secretary N Thirumala Naik said three of the injured students were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Rayagada, while one critically injured student has been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The school headmaster had lodged a complaint at Muniguda police station on Monday. Police have recorded statements of the injured students, officials said.
According to preliminary findings, the incident occurred when a classmate of the injured students allegedly threw colour thinner, an inflammable substance, onto a fire that had been lit by the students on the school building’s balcony.
Muniguda police station in-charge inspector Saudamini Behera said the students were playing on the school roof around 2 pm on Monday when they found a bottle of thinner stored there.
They allegedly poured it on the floor and set it on fire using a matchstick. One of the boys later added more thinner, causing the flames to flare up and injure four students, she said.
