News
Bengaluru couple loses ₹4.75 crore in ‘digital arrest’ fraud, two from Hyderabad held
Bengaluru police arrested two men in a ₹4.75 crore cyber fraud case involving an elderly couple misled into believing they were under digital arrest
In a major breakthrough in a cross-border cyber fraud case, Bengaluru police have arrested two men from Hyderabad in connection with a ₹4.75 crore scam that saw an elderly couple manipulated into believing they were under “digital arrest,” Indian Express reported.
The arrests follow leads from cybercrime investigators in Chennai, and expose links to a broader criminal syndicate with alleged operations in Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
The accused have been identified as Eshwar Singh and Ramnarayan Chowdhary, both residents of Hyderabad. Singh, police say, is a habitual gambler with extensive ties to Sri Lankan casinos, while Chowdhary runs a departmental store in the city.
According to The Indian Express, the fraud came to light when cybercrime officials in Chennai stumbled upon a Bengaluru-based victim while working on a separate investigation. The Chennai team alerted Bengaluru’s Southeast division, prompting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sarah Fathima to open a probe.
It soon emerged that a retired engineer and his wife from BTM Layout had been unknowingly targeted for months. The couple was allegedly coerced by cybercriminals into believing they were involved in a money laundering case and were required to cooperate with authorities. Under this false pretext, the couple transferred large sums of money to multiple accounts, eventually losing ₹4.75 crore.
“They thought they were following legal instructions. They even pledged property documents, all without informing their son or daughter,” said DCP Fathima. Their son lives in Malleswaram, while their daughter resides in Hebbal.
The investigation gained traction when a trail of ₹10 lakh led police to a Hyderabad bank account. The account holder claimed the money had been received on behalf of his landlord, Eshwar Singh. Singh, who was found to have made 33 trips to a casino in Sri Lanka, was arrested upon landing at Hyderabad airport.
Though Singh claimed the funds were part of a legitimate refund from the casino, investigators uncovered unusual banking arrangements. Due to irregularities in his tax filings, Singh had allegedly requested that casino payouts be sent to his tenant’s account instead of his own—an arrangement the casino honored, citing his status as a regular patron.
“We believe the cybercriminals exploited this existing channel, directing the defrauded money into the same account used by the casino,” a senior police officer said. Singh was subsequently taken into custody.
Police also arrested Chowdhary, the departmental store owner, who reportedly became entangled in the scam after cybercriminals gained his trust through frequent visits to his shop. His bank accounts were allegedly used to route money from various victims across India.
(Hindustan Times)
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.
The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.
Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.
The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.
According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.
Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.
The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.
In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.
The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.
The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.
Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.
By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️
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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
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