"Send Me Rs 500 For Cab": Scammer Poses As Chief Justice, Case Filed

From fake digital arrests to courier fraud, cybercriminals have become crafty. After several instances of fraudsters impersonating policemen, messaging and calling people to dupe them of their hard-earned money, a fake message from the 'CJI', seeking money to book a cab, is now going viral.

According to a screenshot of the post on the microblogging platform X, the impersonator, who claimed to be Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, was stranded at Connaught Place (CP).

"Hello, I am CJI and we have urgent meeting of the collegium and I am stuck at Cannaught Place can you send 5000rs for cab," read the screenshot of the post riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.

"I will return the money once I reach the court," assured the fraudulent message.

The Supreme Court has now taken note of the viral post and filed a complaint of cyber fraud on the instructions of the Chief Justice.

Several cases of cyber fraud have emerged in the recent past where people have lost lakhs of rupees after falling prey to the ingenious digital methods used by criminals.

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India proposed to set up a 'Digital Payments Intelligence Platform', which will have advanced technologies to mitigate payment fraud risks.

According to the annual report released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 30, there was a significant surge in the number of financial frauds reported by banks, increasing by 166 per cent year-on-year in the financial year 2023-24 to reach 36,075 cases.

This figure starkly contrasts with the 13,564 cases reported in the previous fiscal year, FY23.

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Case Filed Against Filmmaker Ranjith After Fresh Sexual Abuse Allegations

The fallout from the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry intensified on Monday as a case was charged against well-known filmmaker Ranjith, and several female actors stepped forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.

The case was charged against Ranjith after a Bengali actress filed a complaint on Monday with the Kochi City Police Commissioner.

The complaint, sent via email, alleged that Ranjith had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

Kochi Police Commissioner S Syamsundar said a case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered against Ranjith.

Another actress, Minu Muneer, who has appeared in a few movies, levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu who has a prominent role in the actors' association.

A more well-known actress from the 1990s also came forward on Monday with allegations of misconduct from years ago against a noted filmmaker. She has expressed willingness to provide a statement to the police.

The filmmaker has denied the charges.

In a Facebook post, Minu Muneer said, "I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry." "In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable," the actress, who signed as Minu Kurian in her Facebook post, alleged.

With the exception of Maniyanpilla Raju, none of the actors have reacted.

On the same day, a junior artist accused actor Baburaj, known for villain roles, of sexual assault.

Rejecting the allegations, Baburaj, an office bearer in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A), claimed it was an attempt by vested interests in the film industry to prevent him from becoming A.M.M.A general secretary, replacing Siddique, who resigned on Sunday amid similar charges.

Meanwhile, the serious and elaborate revelations of sexual harassment charges against two-time CPI(M) legislator M Mukesh brought embarrassment to the state government.

Though the opposition parties have accused the Left government of protecting the predators, its leaders put up a defence, saying a special investigation team has been formed to probe the allegations.

Yet, the continuing charges against Mukesh, who represents Kollam constituency in the assembly, have put the CPI (M)-led government under pressure.

A harassment allegation levelled by a woman against Mukesh years ago also resurfaced on Sunday.

Hours after Minu Muneer's allegations against Mukesh on Monday, workers from Yuva Morcha and Mahila Congress organised separate marches towards his residence in Kollam, demanding that a case be registered against him and that he resign as a legislator.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan said he expects that, like Ranjith and Siddique, Mukesh will also step down.

Reacting to the revelations against Mukesh, Higher Education Minister R Bindhu said any accusation against any person should be examined on factual grounds. "The wrongdoers should be punished. Innocent people should not be penalised," she told the media here.

Eminent writer Sara Joseph and Kerala Chalachitra Academy Vice-Chairman Premkumar raised objections against the reported inclusion of Mukesh in the film policy committee of the upcoming cinema conclave of the state government.

"The inclusion of Mukesh on the panel is ridiculous. He should resign as MLA if he has any self-pride," Joseph said.

Mukesh has claimed he is being deliberately targeted by vested interests as he is a CPI(M) MLA.

The female actor who accused him has also levelled sexual abuse allegations against three other prominent Malayalam actors.

Actor Maniyanpilla Raju has called for an overall investigation. "Some people will try to capitalise on the situation," he opined. "Among those accused, there will be both innocent and guilty parties. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation is necessary." Meanwhile, leading actor Prithviraj has called for corrective actions from A.M.M.A and a comprehensive investigation into the various allegations.

It came a day after director Ranjith and actor Siddique stepped down from their leadership roles in the Kerala Chalachitra Academy and A.M.M.A respectively, following sexual abuse allegations against them.

Amid mounting pressure on the government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team for the probe into the allegations made in the wake of the Hema Committee report being published.

There is however no move to conduct investigations on revelations made by women victims in the Hema Committee report.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Prince Harry Has Found A New "Father Figure" In US. He Is A Music Mogul

Prince Harry has found a new mentor and "father figure" in Canadian music icon David Foster, according to sources close to the pair, The Times reported. The 74-year-old music producer has become a close friend and confidant to the Duke of Sussex during his time in the US, as per the report.

Foster, who lives near Harry and Meghan Markle in Montecito, California, has apparently filled a void left by Prince Harry's strained relationships with his own family, particularly King Charles. Katharine McPhee, Foster's wife, described the bond between Harry and her husband as "like father and son". 

How they became friends

Meghan Markle attended the same Catholic middle school in Los Angeles as Foster's wife, Katharine McPhee. Although they weren't close friends at school, they reconnected in London when McPhee was starring in the musical Waitress on the West End. It was then that David Foster and Prince Harry hit it off.

Foster and McPhee helped the Sussexes find a place to stay in Canada after they left the UK in 2020. The 16-time Grammy winner helped the couple find a $14.1 million rental home in Victoria, British Columbia, while they looked for a permanent residence in California.

Foster told the Daily Mail back in 2020 that he was honoured to help the ex-royal couple, citing his Canadian roots and the commonwealth connection. "I was just happy through my friend to facilitate what I could for them, and it looked like they had a great rest," he said. "They are a young modern family. I'm sure they want to balance their commitment to the crown and be a 2020 family." 

Since then, Harry and Foster have been close friends. McPhee said, "My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry. They're so cute."

In October 2020, the Sussexes moved to Santa Barbara, and the two couples have been inseparable ever since. They were spotted enjoying a double date at Lucky's Steakhouse in Montecito, where Katharine McPhee, then pregnant with her son Rennie, chatted with Meghan Markle about purchasing a home in the area.

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As Starliner Returns Without Sunita Williams, Boeing Faces $1 Billion Loss

NASA, on Saturday, announced that Boeing's Starliner capsule will return empty from the International Space Station (ISS), citing ongoing propulsion system problems. This latest development adds to Boeing's woes, with estimated losses in the Starliner program exceeding $1 billion, reported CNBC.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will now return on Elon Musk's SpaceX's Crew-9 vehicle in February 2025, after a six-month extended stay on the ISS. The original nine-day test flight was delayed due to issues with Starliner's thrusters.

A "technical disagreement" between NASA and Boeing led to the decision, with NASA prioritising safety and choosing SpaceX for the return mission.

"Boeing has worked very hard with NASA to get the necessary data to make this decision," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Saturday. "We want to further understand the root causes and understand the design improvements so that the Boeing Starliner will serve as an important part of our assured crew access to the ISS." Mr Nelson stressed that test flights like the Starliner mission are "neither safe, nor routine."

Following the decision, NASA will conduct an additional phase of its Flight Readiness Review to determine the optimal time to bring the empty Starliner capsule back to Earth. 

Despite Boeing's assurances that Starliner was safe for emergency crew return, NASA disagreed. Mr Nelson expressed support for Boeing, stating he was "100% certain" that Starliner would launch with a crew again in the future. Boeing also reaffirmed its commitment to safety, saying it would execute the mission as determined by NASA and prepare for a safe uncrewed return. 

In a statement on X, Boeing said, "We continue to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft. We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return."

Ken Bowersox, NASA associate administrator, said NASA officials were unanimous in their decision to choose SpaceX to bring the crew home. Meanwhile, SpaceX will bring two astronauts along on its Crew-9 vehicle - instead of the four who were originally planned to go - to make room for Wilmore and Williams.

Boeing's Starliner capsule, 'Calypso', has been docked at the International Space Station since June, with its mission extended indefinitely due to ongoing thruster failures. The Starliner crew flight test, intended to be a final milestone for Boeing, has instead become a major setback. 

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Video Shows Pod Of Whales Surrounding Solo Paddler Across Atlantic Ocean

An adventurer paddling solo across the Atlantic Ocean had an unexpected encounter with a massive pod of pilot whales, an experience that left him both exhilarated and alarmed.

Tom Waddington, on his journey from Newfoundland to England, found himself surrounded by long-finned pilot whales after a morning drizzle on July 7, as he shared on Instagram.

In a video, Waddington expressed his amazement: "This is so cool. A pod of whales is circling the boat and playing around it. I love it, but I'm worried they might hit my rudder. They're so close, see?"

He continued, "I can hear them blowing bubbles. Wow, that is so cool. What a special treat. I've seen many whales before, but they're just here to say hello."

The situation took a frightening turn when one of the whales bumped into his boat, causing him to drop the camera and pause filming briefly.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Waddington (@tomwaddington_skier)

When he resumed, his voice carried a note of concern. "I'm two hours in now with these thousands of whales," he said on camera. "One bumped the boat earlier, and I'm really scared they might hit it again. It's an incredible sight, but also very frightening."

According to the crew monitoring Waddington's journey from shore, the whales eventually swam away, allowing him to continue his paddle towards land, the New York Post reported. 

Though Waddington emerged unscathed, the reality of sharing the ocean with such large creatures became starkly clear when one whale collided with his small boat. He later recounted the experience on social media, highlighting the shift from a serene wildlife encounter to a more daunting reality.

Experts suggest that the whales Waddington encountered were likely long-finned pilot whales, known for their social nature and tendency to travel in large groups. According to NPR, these whales often form tight-knit pods and are commonly found in the North Atlantic, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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UP Man Fined For Driving Car Without Helmet By Noida Police

A man who claims that he has never been to Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district in his car, has been slapped with a fine of Rs 1,000 by Noida police for driving the vehicle without a helmet. 

Tushar Saxena initially received a text message informing him about the fine but he ignored it, thinking it to be a mistake. However, things became serious when this was followed by an email and another message. The car owner - who lives in Rampur district, some 200 km from Noida - contacted the traffic police and was told that he was fined for driving his four-wheeler vehicle without a helmet. 

Police told him that if he fails to pay the amount then he will have to appear in court.

"The challan was issued on November 9, 2023. If you are violating traffic rules, then it is common to receive a fine but that is not my case. I have never driven my car to the NCR area. And if there's any rule that says we have to wear a helmet inside a car, then the authorities must give this to me in writing," Mr Saxena said.

Mr Saxena said he bought his car in March last year and got the vehicle's registration transferred from Ghaziabad to Rampur. 

He has appealed to Noida traffic police to investigate this matter and revoke his fine.

A similar case happened in Jhansi when the city's traffic police fined a man Rs 1,000 for not wearing a helmet while driving his Audi car. Bahadur Singh Parihar, a resident of Jhansi's Nandu colony, approached traffic police officials, but was told they would look into the matter after the ongoing Lok Sabha election is over.

Until then, Mr Parihar wore a bike helmet while driving to avoid more fines.

(With inputs from Tamkin Faiyaz)
 

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Congress Targets BJP After Its Request To Postpone Haryana Poll Day

The Haryana unit of the ruling BJP has written to the Election Commission requesting a brief postponement of the assembly poll slated for October 1, citing holidays before and after the election date that could lead to a lower voter turnout.

While the opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the BJP, claiming that the ruling party was panicking as it could sense defeat, Abhay Chautala's INLD too sought the deferment of polls.

A Haryana BJP leader on Saturday said the letter was sent by the party's state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli to the poll panel.

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal confirmed that the commission received a copy of the communication on Friday over email.

"We have received the communication from state BJP and forwarded it to the Election Commission," Agarwal told PTI.

Varinder Garg, a member of the BJP's state election management committee, said, "We have reasoned that the Assembly election date of October 1 (Tuesday) is preceded by a weekend and followed by more holidays which might hit the voting percentage as people tend to go on vacation on long weekends." Varinder Garg said September 28-29 are Saturday and Sunday while October 1 is a poll holiday. It is followed by more holidays as Gandhi Jayanti falls on October 2 and Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti on October 3, he said.

"We have written to the Election Commission in this regard. For a better turnout, any new date once the string of holidays is over should be fine," Varinder Garg told PTI over the phone.

By taking a day's leave on September 30, people will have six holidays. Due to this long weekend, there is a strong possibility that several families might go on a vacation and give voting a miss, Mohan Lal Badoli said in his letter to the EC.

If it happens, the voting percentage would reduce drastically, he added.

Mohan Lal Badoli also said that on 'Asoj Amavasya' on October 2, several members of the Bishnoi community of Haryana will leave for Nokha tehsil of Bikaner in Rajasthan to participate in an annual fair held on the occasion.

This too can affect the voting percentage, he further said.

Mohan Lal Badoli wrote that it has been the continuous effort of the EC to ensure that the maximum number of people exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy.

Therefore, it would be appropriate that the date fixed for voting for the Haryana Assembly election be changed. While determining a fresh date for the election, it should be made certain that there is no holiday the previous or the following day, he wrote.

We believe that if the EC does this, more and more voters will be able to participate in the election, he wrote.

Mohan Lal Badoli, in his letter, also mentioned that in the past the date of polling has been changed by the EC. For example, the date declared for voting in Punjab Assembly elections -- February 14, 2022 -- was changed to February 20, 2022, due to Sant Ravidas Jayanti on February 16.

In 2022, the then Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the BJP and its allies, and the BSP had urged the poll panel to postpone the date of voting as lakhs of followers of Guru Ravidas travel to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the day.

However, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the BJP's stand shows that it has already accepted defeat.

It has been more than a week since the Election Commission announced the poll date. The BJP wants the polls to be deferred as it has accepted defeat, Bhupinder Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister of Haryana, said.

Polls should be held according to the date fixed by the EC... People of Haryana don't want to see the BJP government in power even for a day, he said.

Bhupinder Hooda's son and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda while referring to Mohan Lal Badoli's letter, said, "It shows how scared the BJP is of the elections".

The BJP is staring at defeat and is therefore coming up with such childish arguments. It has no issues, work or achievements to show to the people and no candidates to distribute the tickets. This is why the BJP is conspiring to postpone the elections by giving an excuse for holidays, Deepender Hooda said in Hindi on X.

The voters of Haryana are aware. They will not go anywhere for a holiday, but will come to the polling booth in large numbers to vote out the BJP government, he added.

The AAP's Haryana unit said even before the elections took place, the ruling BJP had started looking for excuses as it could sense its impending defeat in the election.

In a post on X, the AAP said if the BJP had done work in the state, it would not have been seeking postponement of polls. This time the BJP's defeat is certain, it said.

Meanwhile, Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) Chautala said the polling date should be postponed by one or two weeks.

Since people usually go on holidays on long weekends, it will adversely affect the voting percentage which is likely to decrease by 15 to 20 per cent, Chautala said.

The EC on August 16 announced that assembly polls in Haryana would be held in a single phase on October 1 and the results would be declared on October 4.

The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling outfit.

The tenure of the current Haryana Vidhan Sabha ends on November 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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