India

Bhubaneswar, March 25 (IANS) The Odisha Police have arrested a man from Kolkata in connection with a multi-crore online investment scam in which a businessman from Cuttack was duped of more than Rs 12.33 crore, a senior Crime Branch official said on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old accused, identified as Rahul Jaiswal, is a resident of Maniktala Main Road, Kakurgachi, Kolkata, West Bengal. The police further ascertained that the accused Jaiswal is an MBA graduate and is currently self-employed.

The senior official noted that on July 31, 2025, the victim businessman from Cuttack was contacted by unknown cyber fraudsters through WhatsApp. The cyber criminals, identifying themselves as stock market consultants, lured the victim to join a group on WhatsApp.

The fraudsters gained his confidence by sharing fake investment tips and fabricated testimonials. Subsequently, the victim was persuaded to install a fraudulent trading application and invest funds.

“Between August 12 and September 2, 2025, the complainant transferred a total amount of Rs 12,33,50,000 from his Axis Bank account into nine different accounts through 52 transactions, as instructed by the fraudsters. When he attempted to withdraw the invested amount, the so-called “risk control team” of the fake platform denied the request on various pretexts,” added the senior police official.

He soon realised that he had fallen into the trap and lost such a huge amount. Subsequently, the victim lodged an FIR at the Cyber Crime Police Station of the Crime Branch on September 6, 2025. The investigating team carried out a thorough analysis of transaction trails and digital evidence. Based on technical intelligence and field verification, a raid was conducted at Maniktala, Kolkata, West Bengal, leading to the arrest of accused Jaiswal on Tuesday.

The police sources also revealed that Rs 4,15,50,000, out of the total defrauded amount, was transferred by the complainant into the bank account linked to the arrested accused. During the raid, incriminating materials, including mobile phones, SIM cards, and other digital devices, were seized from the accused Jaiswal’s possession.

The accused was arrested and produced before the A.C.J.M., Sealdah, Kolkata, and has been brought to Odisha on transit remand.

--IANS

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Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), March 25 (IANS) Chairperson of the All India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple "without any riots or violence".

Bitta was in Ayodhya to offer prayers at the Ram Temple and Hanuman Garhi temple.

He told reporters, "Even after my death, my soul will keep thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and all the devotees of Lord Ram that during our lifetime Shri Ram Temple was constructed without any riots or violence."

"I would appeal to all Indians around the world, all devotees of Lord Ram, irrespective of whichever political party they belong to, give priority to Lord Ram first and then to your political parties," he said.

Further praising PM Modi and CM Adityanath, he said, "Whenever you oppose PM Modi or CM Adityanath, do think that by Lord Ram's grace they have been able to built the Ram Temple and also have removed Article 370 (from Jammu and Kashmir). They have also freed India from terrorism."

Further, Bitta flagged his disappointment with the Sikh community members for "not raising their voice over attacks on India's heritage" in other countries like Canada.

"I am disappointed and I apologise to the country that when attacks happen on India's heritage in other countries like India's Tricolour being disrespected in Canada, Hanuman Temple in Canada comes under attack, no one from the Sikh community speaks about it," he said.

He further asserted, "My religion is Bharat Maa and my caste is Vande Mataram."

During the interaction with reporters, Bitta alleged that many political parties in the past had attempted to protect the terrorists who attacked him.

"Now in the times of social media, everybody's real face will come out in public. All those who helped the terrorists (will be exposed)", he said.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, March 25 (IANS) A delegation of the BJP, led by the party’s Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar, on Wednesday met with Governor Gulab Chand Kataria here and demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged suicide case of Divisional Magistrate Gagandeep Singh Randhawa.

Speaking to the media, Jakhar said, “When ministers of the government themselves are facing allegations, how can one expect a fair investigation from that government?” He said the deceased’s family and the people of Punjab are demanding a CBI probe to ensure justice.

Jakhar said while the people are fighting for justice, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is busy campaigning in Gujarat for his party leadership, reflecting the government’s lack of sensitivity. He also questioned how justice can be expected when senior officials like the Chief Secretary and the DGP are seen participating in political activities at a rally in Moga.

He said, “This is why the party approached the Governor demanding a CBI probe”. Jakhar said the Opposition “plays an important role in a democracy, but in Punjab the Congress appears as if it is functioning under the influence of Chief Minister Mann”.

He said Congress MPs had earlier demanded a CBI inquiry in the Parliament, but when Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked them to submit a written request, some Congress MPs backed out under pressure from the Chief Minister. He said this “shows how Congress has surrendered before the AAP government”.

He concluded by saying that the BJP is fighting this battle for justice with full determination and will appeal to all elected representatives to write to the authorities demanding a CBI probe. He emphasised that the struggle will continue until justice is served.

The BJP delegation comprised working state President Ashwani Sharma and party leaders Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Som Prakash, Tikshan Sood, Manpreet Singh Badal, Keval Singh Dhillon, Jangi Lal Mahajan, Dinesh Singh Babbu, Jeevan Gupta, Sarabdeep Singh Virk, Anil Sareen, Parminder Singh Brar, Harvinder Singh Sandhu, Harjeet Singh, Amarpal Singh Boni, Rajbir Sharma and Vineet Joshi.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) A Delhi court sentenced Kashmiri separatist Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), drawing strong and divergent reactions from political leaders across party lines.

Additional Sessions Judge, Chander Jit Singh delivered the sentence after concluding arguments on the quantum of punishment. Andrabi, the chief of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, had earlier been convicted on charges including waging war against the country and criminal conspiracy.

Speaking to IANS, BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur welcomed the court’s decision, alleging that Andrabi was deeply involved in activities ranging from stone pelting to recruitment for militancy. He claimed that she played a key role in instigating unrest and disrupting peace in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Kashmir Valley.

BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, also backed the verdict, calling it a “clear and firm message of strict action against terrorism.”

He asserted that in 'New India,' there is no place for anti-national elements and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism is being implemented effectively on the ground.

Offering a more procedural perspective, National Conference leader Sheikh Bashir said the verdict must be respected as it follows due judicial process.

He noted that the trial was conducted in court and the sentence announced thereafter, adding that Andrabi has the legal right to approach a higher court if she wishes to challenge the ruling.

“This is what justice is called. It is the court’s decision; it is the law, and the law must be followed,” he said.

Meanwhile, PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, struck a different note, highlighting humanitarian concerns. While acknowledging her longstanding ideological differences with Andrabi, Mufti said there is a need to consider the human aspect, pointing out that Andrabi has already spent several years in prison and considering the demands of her age.

Mufti further argued that life imprisonment till natural life should be abolished across the country, suggesting that it should instead be interpreted as a fixed term, such as 14 years, as was earlier understood in many cases. She appealed for reconsideration of Andrabi’s case on these grounds.

The case against Andrabi relates to allegations of promoting separatist activities and mobilising support for militancy, with agencies accusing her of playing a significant role in anti-national operations.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has flagged the practice of hotels and restaurants demanding or collecting additional charges -- 'LPG charges', 'gas surcharge' and 'fuel cost recovery' -- in consumer bills, terming it an unfair trade practice, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Wednesday.

The authority said such charges are being imposed by default to bypass existing norms on service charges, and issued an advisory directing that no such fees should be levied automatically.

The ministry further stated that the CCPA also warned that violations may invite strict action under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The move follows complaints received through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) and media reports highlighting that certain establishments are adding such charges over and above menu prices and applicable taxes.

According to the regulator, such practices lack transparency and impose unjustified costs on consumers.

The authority clarified that input costs such as fuel, LPG, electricity and other operational expenses are part of running a business and must be factored into menu pricing.

"Recovery of such costs through separate mandatory charges constitutes an unfair trade practice," it said.

The CCPA directed that no hotel or restaurant shall levy such charges by default, and that menu prices should remain final, excluding only applicable taxes. It also stressed that consumers must not be misled or compelled to pay any additional charge that is not voluntary in nature.

The advisory reiterated that such charges, irrespective of nomenclature, are akin to service charges and their automatic levy would violate the guidelines issued on July 4, 2022.

The authority said it is closely monitoring such practices across the country and will take necessary action to safeguard consumer interests.

Consumers encountering such practices can request removal of the charge from the bill or lodge complaints through the National Consumer Helpline by calling 1915 or via its mobile application.

They can also approach the consumer commissions through the e-Jagriti portal or file complaints with district authorities or the CCPA.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it will pass orders directing social media intermediaries and e-commerce platforms to take down online content unauthorisedly using the name and images of former India cricketer and current head coach Gautam Gambhir for commercial gains.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh observed that directions would be issued to tech platforms, including Meta and Google, to remove objectionable links flagged on behalf of Gambhir and to furnish details of the entities responsible for uploading such content.

The Delhi High Court also granted protection to Gambhir’s personality and publicity rights, directing the removal of objectionable posts and content circulating online without his consent. During the hearing, it was contended on behalf of Gambhir that his name, voice and photographs were being exploited for commercial purposes without authorisation, including through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and deepfake technology.

The Delhi High Court directed Meta, Google and e-commerce platforms such as Amazon to take down the offending URLs and online posts misusing Gambhir’s identity. Justice Singh said a detailed order would be passed, including directions to provide Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) of the entities behind such content.

The development comes in a plea filed by Gambhir before the Commercial Division of the Delhi High Court, alleging a “coordinated campaign of digital impersonation” involving AI-enabled face-swapping and voice-cloning tools.

The suit names multiple defendants, including social media platforms, e-commerce websites and intermediaries, accusing them of facilitating the spread of misleading and fabricated content as well as unauthorised sale of merchandise bearing his name and likeness.

Gambhir has argued that there has been a sharp rise in such content across platforms like Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook, including viral deepfake videos falsely attributed to him, which garnered significant public attention.

He has submitted that such misuse not only misleads the public but also causes serious reputational and professional harm, particularly in light of his current role as head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.

The plea seeks a permanent injunction restraining all defendants from using his name, image, voice or persona without consent, along with damages of Rs 2.5 crore and directions for removal of infringing content.

The Gambhir case adds to a growing list of high-profile personalities invoking their personality and publicity rights before the Delhi High Court.

In recent months, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Nagarjuna, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Abhishek Bachchan, singer Jubin Nautiyal, film-maker Karan Johar, and podcaster Raj Shamani have secured court protection against the unauthorised use of their identity, likeness, or AI-generated imitations.

--IANS

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Mumbai, March 25 (IANS) In a high-octane press conference, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Wednesday levelled explosive allegations against Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, claiming the duo attempted to seize control of the Nationalist Congress Party following the sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash.

He further claimed that a group of leaders wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) claiming changes to the party constitution to vest sweeping powers in a “working president”, and said Sunetra Pawar subsequently wrote to the poll body asking it to disregard any such correspondence during the transition period after Ajit Pawar’s demise.

Rohit Pawar suggested a deep-rooted "conspiracy" involving strategic letters to the Election Commission (EC), alleged practitioners of black magic, and the suppression of family members' voices.

According to Rohit Pawar, a letter was sent to the Election Commission on February 16, 2026 — just 18 days after Ajit Pawar’s fatal accident on January 28. This letter, reportedly signed by Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Brijmohan Srivastava, claimed that the party's constitution had been amended.

"The amendment sought to transfer all party powers and authority — previously held by Ajit Dada — to the Working President (Praful Patel). This was done without the knowledge of Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, or the party’s MLAs," Rohit Pawar stated.

He further revealed that upon becoming National President, Sunetra Pawar immediately wrote to the EC, urging them to disregard any correspondence made between the date of the accident and her appointment.

In a startling claim, Rohit Pawar alleged that "black magic" rituals were performed outside Ajit Pawar’s residence while he was still alive. He questioned if a "godman from Nashik" was used to influence the party's leadership through occult means.

He also pointed towards a potential coordination with external political forces, citing a statement by Union Minister Piyush Goyal. Two days after the accident, Goyal reportedly referred to Praful Patel as the National President of the NCP. Though Goyal later claimed it was a slip of the tongue, Rohit Pawar argued the sequence of events suggests the transition was "pre-planned" between Patel, Tatkare, and other senior leaders, he said.

Rohit Pawar alleged that MLAs were strictly instructed by Tatkare and Patel not to speak about the details of Ajit Pawar's accident during the Assembly session. He claimed that Jay Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s son) intended to hold a press conference, but his voice was "suppressed."

“Given these suspicious moves to grab power, we reiterate our demand for a high-level criminal investigation into the accident itself," Rohit said.

Closing his statement, Rohit Pawar issued a somber warning to the current Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra Pawar. “Politics has become very ugly," he remarked. "You must be careful of the people surrounding you. While the workers and MLAs are vital, the intentions of those currently at the helm are questionable,” he remarked.

--IANS

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Gandhinagar, March 25 (IANS) A meeting of the Gujarat unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Core Committee was held on Wednesday at the official residence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

The meeting was attended by senior party leaders and Ministers, including Rushikesh Patel, Jitu Vaghani and State BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma.

The closed‑door meeting came a day after the State Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, making the state the second in the country after Uttarakhand to clear legislation aimed at establishing a uniform set of civil laws governing marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and related personal matters across all religions and communities.

The Assembly debate on the Bill lasted for more than seven hours before it was adopted with a majority.

The discussions at the Core Committee meeting are likely to review organisational strategy and administrative coordination in the context of the legislative development and preparations for the upcoming local body elections scheduled across municipal corporations and other local authorities in the state later this year.

These polls will cover numerous urban local bodies, including municipal corporations in cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.

No official statement was issued immediately after the meeting.

The BJP leaders have in recent weeks emphasised the party's readiness for the upcoming electoral exercises and its ongoing efforts to communicate government initiatives to voters, senior officials said.

The passage of the UCC Bill has attracted attention in state and national political circles, with supporters highlighting its aim of legal uniformity and opponents raising concerns about its potential impact on personal laws and cultural practices.

The local body elections will be among the first major electoral tests for political parties in Gujarat this year, with control of urban and rural governing bodies seen as an important barometer of public sentiment.

The upcoming local body elections are also crucial for setting the tone for the state Assembly elections scheduled in 2027.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Delhi minister Parvesh Verma on Wednesday trained guns on the previous AAP dispensation and then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over gross violations in the erection of a sprawling mansion, widely identified as ‘Sheesh Mahal’ and also the destruction of green cover for its construction.

He made a pointed reference to the ‘expensive and luxurious purchases’ by the then dispensation, alleging large-scale irregularities in awarding contracts as well as procuring accessories for the swanky building.

In a rather dramatic takedown, the minister went on to display a long list of luxurious items bought for ‘Sheesh Mahal’, then CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, stating how various items like furniture, sofa, tables, recliner chairs and more were bought at exorbitant prices.

He also showed photographs of the site, purportedly a green belt earlier, where the Sheesh Mahal was built for the former Delhi CM.

“All those trees were cut down, and the Sheesh Mahal was erected,” said Verma, waving pre- and post-construction pictures of the place.

The PWD minister, speaking in the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday, claimed that hundreds of trees were axed to make way for the palatial mansion (Sheesh Mahal) for the AAP supremo, who called himself “aam aadmi” but chose to live in a king-size and ultra luxurious villa.

Taking the previous AAP dispensation to task, Parvesh Verma claimed multi-level violations in raising the structure, ranging from issuing of tenders to awarding contracts to procuring luxurious ornaments for the villa.

“All types of sanctions, including preparing price estimates and the signature of all concerned engineers, were completed in a single day. It’s astonishing that when Covid pandemic disrupted every aspect of administrative functioning, all the approvals were given in one day,” Verma told the House.

He said that the orders for the construction of 'Sheesh Mahal' were issued precisely when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak.

The directive was issued to build a palace, and it was explicitly marked as "most urgent", he said while expressing shock and surprise over why the AAP government never marked any public development work – event tasks like sewer cleaning, in the same bracket as that of ‘Sheesh Mahal’.

“Delhi has faced two disasters: the first was COVID-19, and the second is the Aam Aadmi Party,” the BJP leader lashed out, taking a bitter jibe.

Calling out the AAP convenor's double standards, Parvesh Verma further said, “When the AAP chief became Chief Minister, he took an oath promising not to accept any government vehicle or bungalow. However, immediately after taking the oath, he hoodwinked the people of Delhi. Within just 20 days, he shifted to a bungalow on Flagstaff Road.”

Parvesh Verma further claimed that adjacent to the 'Sheesh Mahal', another plot of 4,000 square yards was under consideration for erecting ‘Sheesh Mahal 2’.

“The work had commenced there, but in the subsequent elections, the AAP govt was voted out of power, and therefore work stopped; otherwise, another Rs 60 crore would have been spent,” he claimed.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme beyond March 31, 2026 for a period of five years -- from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031 -- with a budget outlay of Rs 1,800 crore.

The IVFRT platform seeks to interlink and optimise functions related to immigration, visa issuance and registration of foreigners in India.

The core objective of the IVFRT is to modernise and upgrade immigration and visa services within a secure and integrated service delivery framework. It aims to facilitate legitimate travellers while strengthening national security, according to an official statement.

This project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on May 13, 2010 with a budget outlay of Rs 1,011 crore and with project duration till September, 2014. The budget outlay for the project was revised to Rs. 638.90 crore in 2015 along with extension of the implementation timeline up to March 31, 2017, and further up to March 31, 2021 without any additional financial implications.

An expenditure of Rs 613.28 core was incurred against the total revised outlay of Rs 638.90 crore. The extension of the project for a further continuation for a period of five years from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026 was approved by the Cabinet on January 19, 2022 with a budget outlay of Rs 1,365 crore, the statement said.

The scheme seeks to expand and strengthen the scope and capacity of the existing IVFRT Scheme not only by reimagining and revamping the existing structure, but also introducing the state-of-the-art technological solutions to enhance user experience without compromising the security architecture. The modernisation of the IVFRT project is essential to meet the evolving demands of global travel and address emerging national security challenges, the statement explained.

After the recent enactment of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and its subsequent Rules and Order, it has become imperative to strengthen and modernize the Immigration, Visa, and Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) system to effectively meet emerging requirements and future challenges in the domain of immigration control and foreigner management including illegal migration.

The continuation of the project is not just a technical upgrade, but a strategic transformation aligned with the vision of the Government of India to promote international mobility through a world-class immigration and visa issuance system.

The next phase would focus on three broad areas including emerging technology innovations, transformation of core infrastructure, and technology and service optimization, the statement said.

The scheme will modernise the immigration and visa ecosystem through adoption of emerging technologies, including mobile-based services and self-service kiosks for seamless and secure passenger movement. It will upgrade and expand core infrastructure across Immigration Posts, FRROs, and Data Centres to build a resilient and scalable system nationwide.

Additionally, it will optimise technology and service delivery by introducing unified digital platforms, revamping core application architecture, and strengthening network and deployment frameworks for improved efficiency and user experience, which will facilitate legitimate travellers while strengthening national security. It will help maintaining service continuity and induct innovative technological solutions to attract more foreign tourists in India in future.

This will thus give a boost to the tourism, medical and business sectors. IVFRT has immense positive externalities that would boost international traffic, business, commerce, and tourism. This would pave the way for economic growth and would thus contribute towards employment opportunities, the statement further explained.

The scheme has covered 117 Immigration Posts (JPs), 15 Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) and 854 Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs)/Superintendents of Police (SPs)/Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) across the country.

IVFRT system has led to significant improvements in service delivery and operational efficiency across immigration and visa functions. The system has enabled a 100 per cent contactless and faceless visa process with online appointment scheduling and payment facilities, leading to faster visa processing times with 91.24 per cent of e-Visa applications have been cleared within 72 hours during the past five years.

Average passenger clearance time at Immigration Posts has also been reduced to 2.5-3 minutes including biometrics, from the conventional 5-6 minutes, the statement said.

Also, Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) through automated e-gates implemented at 13 Major airports, reduces the time taken for immigration clearance from 2.5-3 minutes to 30 seconds. Its enrolment is on gratis basis currently available for Indian nationals & OCI cardholders.

--IANS

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