Delhi Police busted gang involved in cyber fraud; 65 arrested

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September 8, 2022

Delhi Police busted a gang involved in cyber fraud and arrested 65 people who allegedly used to cheat others on the pretext of updating the BSES electricity bill.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) KPS Malhotra, police busted the gang after raiding 22 cities and the whole operation culminated in 10 days.

Police recovered as many as 45 mobile phones, 60 debit/credit cards, nine chequebooks, seven passbooks, and 25 pre-activated SIM cards.

“Gang of people involved in cyber fraud busted after raids in 22 cities. 65 accused were arrested. Gang used to cheat on the pretext of updating BSES electricity bill. 45 phones, 60 debit cards, and 25 pre-activated SIM cards were recovered. Over 100 bank accounts were frozen,” Malhotra said.

Recently, a new modus operandi was noticed in the cyber crimes reported at National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

It was found that fraudsters are sending random messages to the people that their electricity bill has not been updated in the system and that by tonight their electricity connection would be disconnected, police said.

“Victims who fear that their electricity connection might be disconnected by night, make a call to the number mentioned in the message. During the call, the fraudster impersonates an electricity officer and through social engineering, the fraudster either takes the bank account details or gets installed remote access software,” DCP said.

Once the details are shared, the fraudster transfers the amount from the victim’s account to the fake/fraudulently obtained accounts using the remote access software, he said.

More than 200 complaints were reported at NCRP and more than 500 instances of cheating were noticed, police said.

“Delhi Police is cautioning the general public that no official of the electricity department or any other government department asks you to install any software on your mobile phone to resolve any grievance and never seeks any bank details including account number and others,” the DCP added further.

Further investigation of the cases is underway.

Pakistan: 7 people injured in grenade at Quetta

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ANI

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September 8, 2022

At least, seven people, including a woman and a minor girl, were injured on Wednesday night when unidentified motorcyclists hurled a grenade at a roundabout at Quetta’s Khuram-i-Dad Chowk, local media reported.

According to the police, some motorcyclists hurled a hand grenade at the roundabout near Safeer mosque after which seven people were injured and three of them are seriously injured, reported Dawn.

Police and personnel of other law-enforcement agencies rushed to the blast scene and shifted the injured to a civil hospital, meanwhile, the attackers escaped from the area after the attack.

“We are investigating who was the target of the attack,” police officials said, adding that a check-post of the Frontier Corps was also located at the Khuram-i-Dad Chowk to protect Imambargah of Kalan, according to Dawn.

Pakistan has been witnessing several instances of lawlessness in recent days. The country is facing crises on several fronts including an economic slump and floods in large parts. Compounding this is the regular occurence of violence.

Earlier, on Monday, a Pakistani constable was killed after an unidentified person, whom officials termed ‘militants’ hurled a hand grenade at the Khanmai police station in Charsadda.

Two unknown militants riding a motorcycle hurled the grenade at the police station, in which constable Mir Alam sustained serious injuries after which he was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, Charsadda, where he succumbed to his wounds, a Police official said. The police have started a search operation to trace the attackers, according to Dawn.

A similar incident took place on August 28 when at least two persons were injured in a grenade attack in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

The attack occurred at the Khuzdar’s Khand link road where two persons were seriously injured when unknown attackers hurled a hand grenade at a car, Dawn reported citing police officials.

“It was a grenade attack which exploded near the car,” the police said, adding that the car was badly damaged. Police have launched a search operation to catch the attackers.

On August 8, unidentified gunmen killed two people and injured four others in firing in the Pashtunabad area. Not only local civilians, but police officials were also the target of the terror organization.

On August 7, three people, including a policeman were injured in a remote-controlled blast that occurred in Quetta’s Hazar Ganji area on Sunday, media reports said.

In recent months, several cases of bomb attacks have been reported in Pakistan. The bomb was planted in a motorcycle parked near Hazar Ganji market, Police said while speaking on this recent explosion, ARY News reported.

According to the police, nearby shops and parked vehicles were damaged. Rescue workers rushed to the area and shifted the injured to Civil Hospital Quetta.

Pakistani security forces following the bombing cordoned off the area to collect evidence. In a statement, Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Qudus Bizenjo condemned the attack and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Scamster All-India Mahila Empowerment Party to try its luck in Mumbai

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Web Team

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September 8, 2022

all india mahila employment party, aimep, Shehnaaz Ramteke, Nowhera Shaikh, Heera Group — Image: Vivek Gaikwad / Afternoon Voice

All-India Mahila Empowerment Party called for a press conference to promote their party agenda. Shehnaaz Ramteke, Vice President of All-India Mahila Empowerment Party stated that they “are working for the elections and demands 50 per cent reservation for the woman from the government”‘. When asked why they want to serve women only after winning the elections “She stated that party came into existence in 2014 but started working on woman empowerment project since last one year.”

Sherly Fernandes, Vice President of All-India Mahila Empowerment Party said, “The party came into existence in 2014 and states it came in Maharashtra for the first time and our president is Nowera Shaikh is a businesswoman and she can generate employment in the country.”

Sunita Tupasoundarya, President of All India Mahila Empowerment Party said that they are working in this party for the justice of women and harassment towards women should be less in the country.

The party did not showcase any vision or aim for the empowerment of women when asked about their accomplishments so far. The woman vice president did not have concrete answers and stated that they were working for elections. After experimenting with Karnataka and Telangana, the party is trying to spread its wins in Maharashtra.

Nowhera Shaik founded the All-India Mahila Empowerment Party. The party contested the 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election and fielded candidates for all 224 constituencies, garnering 0.3% vote share. The party contested from all the 119 constituencies in the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election and aims to contest in the 2019 Indian general election.

In 2018 Shaik was arrested for running a Ponzi scheme assuring returns of 36% per annum for the investment under the disguise of Heera Group and the total amount involved was more than Rs 5000 crore from 1.72 lakh investors. In 2016 also a complaint was filed against Heera Group by Asaduddin Owaisi for cheating number investors from his constituency Hyderabad. The Supreme Court of India released Shaik on conditional bail with a direction to repay the investors. After the release Shaik had alleged, she was targeted as a part of political rivalry.

Story by Brena Soni and Vivek Gaikwad

There is no comparison between Kirpan, turban with hijab, says SC

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ANI

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September 8, 2022

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that there is no comparison between Kirpan and turban of Sikhs with the hijab as a five-judge bench of the apex court held that wearing turban and kirpan is allowed for Sikhs.

The remarks came when a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia heard various petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court judgement upholding the ban on hijab in educational institutes.

Advocate Nizamuddin Pasha, appearing for one of the petitioners, who is a student of Islam and Arabic, tried to draw similarities between the Kirpan and turban with the hijab. Pasha said that the hijab is a part of the religious practice of Muslim girls and also asked if girls can be stopped from coming to school wearing hijab.

He further argued that even Sikh students wear turbans. Pasha stressed that cultural practices should be protected. Justice Gupta said that comparison with Sikhs may not be proper as carrying of the kirpan is recognized by the Constitution. “So don’t compare practices,” the court remarked.

Justice Gupta said there are statutory requirements on turbans and these are all practices well established in the culture of the country. Pasha tries to cite examples of foreign countries like France.

Justice Gupta said that we do not want to be according to France or Austria. “We are Indians and want to be in India,” the court said.

Pasha while countering the Karnataka HC judgement said that the hijab protects Muslim women. Pasha said that the findings of Karnataka HC that the Hijab is a cultural practice are based on the assumption.

He cited various religious books to support his arguments. He also argued that it was a misreading of the footnote that the HC held that the Hijab is a “recommendation” and not “essential”.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat said that every religious practice is not essential but it is not that the state goes on restricting it.

During the hearing, Kamat, appearing for another petitioner apprised the court that divergent views were taken by Karnataka, Kerala and Madras High Court judgments on whether the hijab is an essential religious practice.

Madras and Kerala courts have held Hijab as an essential religious practice but Karnataka HC differed, Kamat said.

“Karnataka Government Order on the prescription of uniform in educational institutes suffers from non-application of mind,” he further added.

Who is sponsoring Aalima Nowhera Sheikh’s political party?

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Vaidehi Taman

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September 8, 2022

all india mahila empowerment party, aimep, Aalima Nowhera Sheikh, nowhera sheikh — Image: Afternoon Voice / Vivek Gaikwad

Aalima Nowhera Shaikh is a businesswoman and less known politician. She is the executive chairperson and founder of Heera Group and founder and president of the All-India Mahila Empowerment Party. This political party is trying its luck in Maharashtra. Nowhera Shaikh was arrested by the ED in 2019, along with others, over a case booked against her under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). That same year, the Telangana and Maharashtra police also arrested her in similar cases.

The ED suspects her for hatching a “well-planned conspiracy and luring innocent people to deposit their savings with her for-profit sharing rather than interest.” Authorities said that Nowhera Shaikh collected deposits to the tune of Rs 5,600 crore from around 1.72 lakh investors and made false promises of paying a high rate of returns like that of 3% per month or 36% to 40% per year. For this fraud, she had opened around 250 accounts in various banks across the country and they opened eight accounts in UAE and Saudi Arabia. They diverted the depositors’ amounts to their personal accounts for and amassed huge movable and immovable assets.

She started out as a hawker, selling vegetables alongside her mother in Tirupati when she was in her teens. Later on, she somehow came in touch with a Dubai businessman and planned to pitch investors in India. She formed 17 companies which would boast of 2 lakh-plus investors across the southern and western states and have a combined turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore.

The turnaround in fortunes seems more dramatic when one considers all the stops in between: over the years, she managed to get a degree in business management, started a madrassa for girls, and even formed a party to contest polls in Karnataka. But Nowhera Shaikh’s downfall was the outcome of the same expansion that brought her success. As the 45-year-old burqa-clad single mother spread her reach over seven years using a Ponzi scheme – offering returns of 36-42% – her offices and agents in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh drew in more and more investors; there was a whiff of a hawala scandal somewhere.

By May 2018 Shaikh had begun defaulting on payments, eventually leading to mismanagement of funds, chaos and police complaints. It was a Rs 500-crore cheating case. Shaikh was in the custody of Mumbai police after they apprehended her in Hyderabad. Mumbai police’s economic offences wing (EOW) arrested her on October 25 on a complaint by an investor named Shane Elahi who faced a default. Over the past few days, national intelligence agencies have dropped in to discuss the case. Most of her investors are from the Muslim community, whom she promised an interest-free halal business.

From their paid campaigns to staged press conferences, Shaik received an award by UAE Minister for Business Leadership Icon In 2018. When she realised that the controversy may spoil her fate in politics, she announced that the customers who want to take their money back must be ready to bear the losses too as they had agreed to share both profit and loss. Citing the reason for the loss, she said that her entire business was on standstill due to a number of cases filed against her.

Giving the statistics of the amount returned to customers, she claimed that so far, Rs. 3.50 crore has been paid to those who had filed cases against her company. She said that the amount is being paid to customers who are approaching the company with genuine documents. Meanwhile, her political ambitions were shattered because of the cases filed against her and she wants to enter into politics. Gradually, the Supreme Court allowed her company to sell 87 properties for settling investors’ claims.

While passing orders, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, “Make selling of property as First Task now.” For several lakh investors allegedly duped by Nowhera Shaikh getting back their invested money was a tough task. The Supreme Court, while granting Nowhera bail in January, had laid down a condition that she should repay back her investors within six weeks. In attempts to comply with the Supreme Court’s bail conditions, the Heera group had issued cheques amounting to Rs 8 to 9 crore in Telangana. But they issued these cheques in the name of those investors who had filed a complaint with the police. The names of others, who were mentioned in the FIR, were ignored. We know corruption and politics is not new but here is one more addition to it.

No immersion of Ganesh idols in SGNP, says HC; asks Maha to take all steps to prevent flouting of order

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PTI

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September 8, 2022

Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNP — Copyright: Afternoon Voice/ Akash Nirmal

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to ensure there is no immersion of Ganesh idols inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

A division bench of Justices P B Varale and S M Modak said the state forest department was free to take appropriate steps in law against those persons who attempt to enter the park for immersion of Ganesh idols.

The court also directed the government to deploy additional force at the park to avoid any such activity. It said the state government should safeguard and protect environment as it has to be maintained for generations to come.

“Non-forest activities are not permitted in SGNP as certain rare species of flora and fauna is found there. Human activities are minimised there,” the HC said.

The order was passed in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by city-based NGO ‘Mumbai March’, which raised concerns over a newspaper article that quoted a local political leader stating the state forest department had granted permission to the public for immersion of Ganesh idols in waterbodies in SGNP on September 9.

Government pleader Purnima Kantharia, appearing for the state government, said the petition has been filed based on apprehension of a news item quoting a private person and that forest department authorities are vigilant enough to prevent any activity that causes damage to ecology, environment and wildlife.

The HC bench then said it hoped the state government will strengthen its policy to prevent any activity that causes damage to the wildlife, ecology and environment of SGNP.

“We direct the forest dept of the state government to take all steps to prevent any activity to enter the area of SGNP for immersion of idols. If any attempt is made in breach of law then the forest authorities are free to take appropriate steps,” the bench said.

“Considering the peculiar situation that there would be a large flow in activity of visarjan and immersion of idols, the government may deploy additional force so as to prevent any damage to wildlife, ecology and environment,” it added.

In case an attempt is made to mislead the public at large by making certain untrue statements, the state government shall take appropriate steps to prevent such mischief by taking recourse to law, the HC said.

The bench said if a request is made by the forest department for deployment of police force then the concerned police authority shall consider and take appropriate decision.

Delhi: Firing over local dispute in Johripur; complaint registered

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ANI

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September 8, 2022

gun representative — Representative Image

A man was shot at over a local dispute in Johripur here on Wednesday following which a complaint was registered at Karawal Nagar police station, an official said.

Immediately after receiving a call, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Karawal Nagar reached the spot along with staff for investigation.

“A man name Sonu, resident of Jagdamba colony, Johripur claimed that when he was in his house, some persons came and shouted at the door. When he did not respond, the people outside fired upon him,” an official said.

According to the police, during the interrogation, it come out that Sonu’s cousin Kallu, resident of Ambedkar Colony, Johripur had some dispute with a local boy and Sonu had also intervened in that matter.

Thereafter, that local boy had threatened to teach him a lesson, the police said. The accused person has been identified and a special wing has been employed to nab the alleged culprits, the police added. There was no injury occurred to anyone in the firing incident.

The police have registered a complaint under sections 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal code (IPC) along with the 27 Arms Act. The investigation is underway, the police said.

Finance ministry to kick-start budgetary exercise from October 10

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PTI

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September 8, 2022

The finance ministry will kick-start the exercise to prepare the annual budget for 2023-24 from October 10 in the backdrop of revival of the Indian economy and fears of recession in developed countries.

The budget for the next year will have to address critical issues of high inflation, boosting demand, job creation and putting the economy on a sustained 8 per cent-plus growth path.

Earlier in the day, the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said inflation is no longer “red-lettered” and the priority for the government now is job creation and boosting growth.

“Some of course are red-lettered (priorities), some may not be. Red-lettered ones would of course be jobs, equitable wealth distribution and making sure India is moving on the path of growth.

“In that sense inflation is not red-lettered. I hope it doesn’t surprise many of you. We have shown that in the past couple of months that we were able to bring it to a manageable level,” she said.

It will be the fifth budget of the Modi 2.0 government and Sitharaman and the last full budget before the general elections slated in April-May 2024.

During the election year, the government presents Vote on Account for the limited period. Usually the budget is cleared till July.

“Pre-budget meetings chaired by secretary (Expenditure) shall commence on October 10, 2022,” according to the Budget Circular (2023-24) of the Budget Division of the Department of Economic Affairs dated September 6, 2022.

“Financial advisers should ensure that the necessary details required in the appendices I to VII are properly entered. Hard copies of the data along with specified formats should be submitted for cross-verification,” the circular added.

The Budget Estimates for 2023-24 will be provisionally finalised after completion of pre-budget meetings, it said, adding, RE (Revised Estimate) meetings continue till around mid-November, 2022.

“All the ministries/departments should submit details of autonomous bodies/ implementing agencies, for which a dedicated corpus fund has been created. The reasons for their continuance and requirement of grant-in-aid support, and why the same should not be wound up, should be explained,” it said.

As a follow up action on National Monetisation Pipeline, it said, departments may be required to explain progress in asset monetisation.

The Budget 2022-23 is likely to be presented on February 1 during the first half of the Parliament’s Budget session which usually begins in the last week of January every year.

The Budget for the current fiscal had projected a growth rate of about 7-7.5 per cent in real terms while fiscal deficit was pegged at 6.4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government scrapped a colonial-era tradition of presenting the Budget at the end of February. The then finance minister Arun Jaitley had for the first time presented the annual accounts on February 1, 2017.

With the preponement of the Budget, ministries are now allocated their budgeted funds from the start of the financial year beginning April. This gives government departments more leeway to spend as well as allow companies time to adapt to business and taxation plans.

Previously, when the Budget was presented at the end of February, the three-stage Parliament approval process used to get completed some time in mid-May, weeks ahead of onset of monsoon rains.

This meant government departments would start spending on projects only from August-end or September, after the monsoon season ended.

Oil exploration proj put on hold in Arunachal due to lack of forest clearance: Minister

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PTI

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September 8, 2022

Oil India Limited — Oil exploration proj put on hold in Arunachal due to lack of forest clearance: Minister 10

Petroleum exploration activities in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh had to be put on hold for want of necessary clearances from the state forest department as well as the Union environment ministry, a minister told the Assembly here on Thursday.

A standing committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), too, is yet to give its nod to the project, which was to be undertaken in the vicinity of national park, state geology and mining minister Kamlung Mossang said, responding to a question by Congress MLA Wanglin Lowangdong.

Mossang also said that Oil India Limited (OIL) had initially submitted two clearance proposals to the state forest department and the Union environment ministry in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The stage-1 clearance was accorded by the Centre in August 2020 but stage-2 wasn’t, he said.

As Dihing-Pataki wildlife sanctuary, located 10 km from petroleum exploration site at Deomali, was declared a national park in June last year by the Assam government, an NBWL clearance was also needed, the proposal for which is pending with the neighbouring state, the minister explained.

Mossang also said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had in 1998 given its approval for granting Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) to OIL for an area of 356.16 sq km at Deomali in Tirap district.

Responding to another query, environment and forest minister Mama Natung said the project won’t be to progress till the time an area around the park was marked as eco-sensitive zone.

Work can be undertaken only beyond the demarcated zone.

The Supreme Court has directed that every national park and wildlife sanctuary in the country will have to have mandatory eco-sensitive zone Lowangdong, as he raised the question, had urged the government to pursue the matter with the Centre, stating that Arunachal Pradesh could immensely benefit from the petroleum exploration project, which would not just enrich the state coffers but also create job opportunities for youth.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel announces provision of free education to students from Economically Weaker Section

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ANI

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September 8, 2022

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced the provision of free education to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other backward classes for their competitive exam preparation.

Around 400 students of scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and EWS are going to receive free education from Reputed coaching institutes for CA, CLAT, Engineering, Medicals and others.

“Now the EWS students of Chhattisgarh will soon avail the facility of free coaching for All India Engineering and Medical entrance examinations, as well as other competitive examinations like CA and CS, CLAT, NDA,” Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, said on Wednesday.

To secure the future of the Economically weaker section, Baghel said, “This initiative is being commenced due to consideration of the aspirations and the financial difficulties of the family of the students who want to pursue different kinds of career options.”

The Concerned department is directed by CM to arrange the coaching for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and EWS students.

There is already a provision of free coaching for all Indian engineering and medical entrance examinations etc. for students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well as Other Backward Classes in the state. But after this new initiative, students of the EWS category will also receive the facility of free coaching as well.

The officials of the Tribal and Scheduled Castes Department said, “in the current financial year 2022-23, around 400 students of Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and E.W.S. will be provided free coaching facility for various competitive examinations.”

“Students will get coaching for admission in courses including PMT, PET, NSTE, JEE main and advance, AIIMS, NEET, CA and CS & CLAT, NDA. Coaching for these examinations will be given to the students through reputed coaching institutes in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg and Bhilai,” Officials said.