Fraud applications: Indian students face ban / restrictions from 5 Australian universities

Mangaluru: A 58-year-old woman from the city was duped of ₹1.8 crore after cyber criminals impersonating Mumbai Police officers trapped her in a high-pressure ‘digital arrest’ scam.

According to the complaint filed at the CEN Crime Police Station, the ordeal began on October 24 when she received a call around 2.45 pm from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the Colaba Police Station, Mumbai, and falsely accused her of involvement in a money-laundering and human-trafficking case, alleging that she had received commissions and was now a suspect.

Frightened by the serious accusations, the victim was instructed to join a video call to “cooperate with the investigation.” During the call, she was asked to write a letter and send it to the caller via WhatsApp, further deepening the illusion of an official inquiry.

Over the next interactions, two individuals—introducing themselves as police officers Vinod Rathod and Rajesh Mishra—continued questioning her through WhatsApp video calls. They demanded her personal details, bank information, and account balances, convincing her that her accounts needed to be “verified”.

On the following day, the scammers directed her to transfer money for “inspection” and assured that the funds would be returned after verification. They also warned her against sharing any details with anyone, threatening severe legal action if she disobeyed.

Terrified and believing she was under investigation, the woman transferred a total of ₹1.8 crore in multiple instalments via RTGS to several bank accounts between October 28 and November 11.

Realising she had been duped, she reported the matter, and a case has now been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station, which has launched an investigation.

In his first statement after the Delhi blast that killed at least 13 people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the “conspirators will not be spared” and that “all those responsible will be brought to justice.”

The comments came amid heightened security in Delhi and other parts of the country following Monday evening’s explosion near the Red Fort.

PM Modi, who arrived in Bhutan on a two-day visit, said he was attending the 70th birthday celebrations of the Himalayan nation’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, “with a heavy heart.”

“It was my commitment to come here and participate, but I am here with a heavy heart. The horrifying incident in Delhi has pained everyone. I understand the pain of the victims’ families. The entire country stands with them,” he said in Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu.

“Throughout last night, I was in touch with all investigating agencies and major stakeholders. We were trying to piece together the information. Our agencies will get to the bottom of this conspiracy,” the Prime Minister added.

Modi was received at Paro airport by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who posted on X: “I join the entire nation in welcoming my elder brother Prime Minister @narendramodi to Bhutan.”

During the visit, Modi will hold talks with Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Prime Minister Tobgay. He and the King will jointly inaugurate the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric project, developed jointly by India and Bhutan.

The Prime Minister will also meet the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Before his departure, Modi said he was confident the visit would “further deepen our bonds of friendship and strengthen our efforts towards shared progress and prosperity.”

He described India–Bhutan relations as “a key pillar of our Neighbourhood First Policy and a model of exemplary friendship between neighbouring countries.”

In a post on X, Modi added that the visit would “add new vigour to our bilateral relations.” The Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday that the visit aims to “strengthen the special ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.”

Modi’s visit also coincides with the exposition of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha, sent from India to Bhutan for public veneration.

The US is reportedly exploring a plan for a vast military base housing thousands of forces along Gaza’s border with the occupied Palestinian territories amid fears of further American regional adventurism and desire to help the Israeli regime control the territory’s future.

Reporting on Tuesday, Israeli investigative outlet Shomrim said the facility bears a $500-million price tag.

The outpost would also give Washington the ability to act independently on the ground needless of Israeli coordination and shape dynamics directly.

Observers noted that the plan comes while global outrage at the regime over its war of genocide on Gaza that began in October 2023, has come to a head. This, they added, has potentially triggered Tel Aviv to ask its allies to advance its goals as it temporarily steps out of the spotlight.

Palestinian officials have, however, warned that such steps represented an effort to replace one occupation with another, merely swapping Israeli boots for foreign ones.

In early November, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior leader of Gaza’s Hamas resistance movement, made it clear that the group would never tolerate such an arrangement.

“We cannot accept a military force that would be a substitute for the occupation army in Gaza,” he told Al Jazeera.

Earlier, Washington had circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution proposing creation of a so-called “International Stabilization Force (ISF)” in Gaza for at least two years.

The force, reportedly to be formed by the US, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, would operate under the pretext of reconstruction and security, while effectively ensuring the “demilitarization” of Gaza and the dismantling of the resistance infrastructure.

According to American outlet Axios, the ISF plan represents part of the first phase of a 20-point proposal designed by Donald Trump, who claims it will “end the war” in Gaza.

Critics have, however, argued that the proposal ignores the core issues of Israeli occupation, accountability for war crimes, and Palestinians’ right to self-determination and compensation.

Abu Marzouk also revealed that Washington and Tel Aviv had opposed allowing the Security Council to officially mandate such a mission.

Meanwhile, the US has already opened a smaller Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in the city of Kiryat Gat, north of Gaza, described by US Central Command officials as a hub for “humanitarian and military coordination.”

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit there, vowed that “disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza will be achieved.”

Hamas has said its weapons are intrinsically linked to the occupation’s existence, which necessitates that resistance fighters remain constantly on alert for any potential large-scale aggression against Gaza.