Inspired by 'Ladies vs Ricky Bahl', Man Dupes 15 Women of Over Rs 50 Lakh

Agencies
September 8, 2017

New Delhi, Sept 8: Inspired by Ranveer Singh-starrer 'Ladies vs Ricky Bahl', a 34-year-old man duped several women over the last six years on the pretext of marrying them and would later blackmail them with intimate videos.

Yogesh alias Sameer Garg conned close to 15 women of more than Rs 50 lakh in the last year alone, police said. He was arrested on September 5 from the New Delhi railway station while trying to flee.

Police said he mostly targeted single women in their late 30s, who had registered themselves on matrimonial sites.

On September 5, a woman's brother approached police with a complaint that his sister, a divorcee, was missing along with her 12-year-old son for the last two days.

He told police that his sister had uploaded her profile on a matrimonial site and had come in contact with Garg through it.

Police started tracking the mobile numbers of the accused. Meanwhile, the woman s brother managed to get in touch with his sister.

He lied to her that their father is sick and admitted to AIIMS. She agreed to come to see him but told her brother that she is leaving for Mumbai, the police said.

Garg came to AIIMS along with the victim's sister but he sensed something amiss and escaped from there taking her along.

A police team started for the airport to nab the accused and rescue the woman and her son. However, the cell phone location of Garg s phone indicated that he was at the New Delhi railway station on September 5, the police said.

The team proceeded there and it was found that the Mumbai-bound train was slated to leave from a different platform. A trap was laid and the accused was arrested. The woman and her son were also rescued.

The victim said that the accused had lured her on the pretext of marriage and had taken her to Vaishno Devi. Later, he took her to Goa on the pretext of making her meet his parents, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara).

The woman, who works as a teacher, told police that he had been extracting money from her and had taken Rs three lakh from her.

He had made videos of her and had threatened to upload them on social media sites if she did not pay up, they added. Garg has also been charged with rape.

During interrogation, Garg told police that he was inspired by the Bollywood film 'Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl'.

He would project himself as the country head of a high-profile conglomerate firm and tell women that his father is a retired IAS officer, said the DCP.

He also told police that he had completed his graduation from SRCC and had pursued his MBA from one of the Indian Institutes of Management. He also claimed to have studied in a prestigious institution in the United Kingdom. However, these claims have been found to be false, the police said. He had been conning women since 2011.

So far, five women in their late 30s, have approached the police. One of the victims is from Ahmedabad and another is from Noida.

They claimed that the accused also got intimate with them on the pretext of marriage and deserted them after taking money from them. They claimed that they swindled out of Rs eight lakh respectively, the police said.

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News Network
December 2,2025

A major upgrade in safety and monitoring is planned for Haj 2026, with every Indian pilgrim set to receive a Haj Suvidha smart wristband linked to the official Haj Suvidha mobile app. The initiative aims to support pilgrims—especially senior citizens—who may struggle with smartphones during the 45-day journey.

What the Smart Wristband Will Do

Officials said the device will come with:
•    Location tracking
•    Pedometer
•    SOS emergency button
•    Qibla compass
•    Prayer timings
•    Basic health monitoring

SP Tiwari, secretary of the UP State Haj Committee, said the goal is to make the pilgrimage safer and more comfortable.

“Most Hajis are elderly and not comfortable with mobile apps,” he said. “The smartwatch will help locate pilgrims who forget their way or cannot communicate their location.”

The wristbands will be monitored by the Consulate General of India in Saudi Arabia, similar to mobile tracking via the Haj Suvidha App.

Free Distribution and Training

•    Smart wristbands will be given free of cost.
•    Training for pilgrims will be conducted between January and February 2026.
•    Sample units will reach state Haj committees soon.
•    Final devices will be distributed as pilgrims begin their journey.

New Rules for Accommodation

Two major decisions have also been finalised for Haj 2026:
1.    Separate rooms for men and women – including married couples. They may stay on the same floor but must occupy different rooms, following stricter Saudi guidelines.
2.    Cooking banned – gas cylinders will not be allowed; all meals will be provided through official catering services arranged by the Haj Committee of India.

These decisions were finalised during a meeting of the Haj Committee of India and state representatives in Mumbai.

Haj Suvidha App Launched Earlier

The government launched the Haj Suvidha App in 2024, offering:

•    Training modules
•    Accommodation and flight details
•    Baggage information
•    SOS and translation tools
•    Grievance redressal

Haj 2026 Quota and Key States

•    India’s total Haj quota for 2026: 1,75,025 pilgrims
•    70% (1,25,000) allotted to the Haj Committee of India
•    30% (around 50,000) reserved for Haj Group Organisers

Uttar Pradesh has the largest allocation (around 30,000 seats), though approximately 18,000 pilgrims are expected to go this year. States with high pilgrim numbers include Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Dates of Haj 2026

The pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from 24 May to 29 May, 2026 (tentative).
Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for Muslims who meet the required conditions.

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News Network
November 27,2025

DKSvokkaliga.jpg

Bengaluru: The Vokkaligara Sangha on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Congress, saying the party could face serious electoral repercussions if Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is not appointed as Chief Minister.

The warning follows the public backing of Shivakumar’s chief ministerial ambition by top Vokkaliga pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swami, who urged the Congress high command to honor his claim.

“The community supported Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections only because Shivakumar had a real chance to become CM. If he is cheated, we’ll teach the party a big lesson,” said newly elected Sangha president L. Srinivas. He added that Vokkaligas would organize protests under the guidance of community leaders.

General Secretary C.G. Gangadhar pointed out that Congress won more seats in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region due to Shivakumar’s influence, adding, “If Congress wants to retain power, Shivakumar should be made the CM.”

Outgoing president Kenchappa Gowda emphasized Shivakumar’s contribution to Congress’ victory. “Our community voted for Congress thinking he would become CM. Siddaramaiah has also served the party well, but Shivakumar should now be given a chance,” he said.

Former general-secretary Konappa Reddy appealed to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to recognize Shivakumar’s loyalty and service, saying, “Congress is known to keep its promises. We hope it won’t break the promise made to him.”

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News Network
November 26,2025

students.jpg

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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