KCR\'s Aide Falls Victim to Cyber Scam, Loses Rs 7 Lakh in SBI Phishing Incident

Hyderabad: Sridhar Rao Deshpande, officer on special duty to the Chief Minister, lost Rs 7 lakh to cybercriminals, police said on Friday. This was the result of the official accidentally going to a fake website of the SBI and providing all his banking details, police said.

On June 14, Deshpande searched online for the SWIFT code of SBI, Alkapuri. He clicked on a website that appeared to be the SBI's official site and found a helpline number. He called the number and the person on the other side asked Deshpande for his credentials including the password. The official complied.

The person at the other end promised to send the SWIFT code via WhatsApp within 24 hours. Deshpande did not receive any call but the money was withdrawn from his account.

According to Rachakonda Cybercrime DCP B. Anuradha, Rs 5 lakh was debited from Deshpande's account, followed by Rs 2 lakh. There was another attempt to drain Rs 3 lakh, which Deshpande stopped.

Following this, he asked the bank to lock his internet banking facility and reported the incident to the LB Nagar cybercrime police as well as the National Cyber Crime Portal helpline on the phone number 1930.

CISF Seizes Rs 86.86 Lakh Worth Gold Biscuits at Airport

The CISF’s Aviation Security Guard seized 1.5 kg gold biscuits worth about Rs 86.86 lakh from a passenger, Srirangappa M. who was travelling to Abu Dhabi on Thursday night. CISF sub-inspector Naveen Ola saw suspicious objects in his luggage and a physical check revealed the gold biscuits.

Telangana Narcotics Bureau Cracks Down on Ganja Smugglers, Seizes Assets Worth Crores

The Telangana State Narcotics Bureau (TS NAB) seized buildings and bank accounts belonging to ganja smugglers, using their powers under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA) and the NDPS Act.

In August, TS NAB arrested Kalapathi Gowtham Singh, his mother Nithu Bai, and their associates who were operating a ganja smuggling racket. It was then found that the accused had acquired two G+2 buildings with a market value of Rs 4 crore at Langar Houz and Gachibowli, two SUVs and a bike from the profits of ganga smuggling. Police also identified several bank accounts used by the accused persons.

The attached properties include Rs 40.3 lakh cash, Rs 78.62 lakh bank deposits, said Gummi Chakravarthy, SP, TS NAB.

Accidents Claim Lives in Karnataka and Telangana

Three persons from Karnataka’s Chikmagalur, travelling in a lorry transporting poultry chicken, died on the NH 167 at Makthal in Narayanpet district late on Thursday night when their vehicle rammed into an unidentified vehicle. The vehicle was taking chicken from Mahbubnagar to Chikmagalur.

The victims are identified as drivers Shafiullah, 30, and Vijay Naik, 39, and manager Jagadeesha A.M., 42, all working for a poultry agency at Chikmagalur, Makthal police said. SHO Makthal A Pravathalu said that they have registered a case against the driver of the unidentified vehicle and started investigation.

In another accident at Mominpet in Vikarabad district, Vadla Shiva Kumar, 25, a constable aspirant and his mother Vadla Padma, 45, a conductor with TSRTC HCU depot died when their two-wheeler hit a stationary car on the road. Shiva Kumar had cleared the police constable recruitment test and was awaiting the medical test.

Mobile Phone Snatchers Apprehended by Police in Begumpet

Police arrested Bobili Anil and Bandari Krishna for snatching nine mobile phones from unwary pedestrians in Begumpet and surrounding areas for over three months. Some of the victims were daily wage labourers. The case was detected after analyzing CCTV camera footage, said Begumpet ACP V.V.S. Ramalingaraj.