19072025-LT-01.qxd 7/19/2025 12:06 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DENGUE LARVAE FOUND AT 10 POLICE STATIONS KIRRON'S RARE APPEARANCE AT FILM PREMIERE LET PEOPLE BE: ACTOR VAANI KAPOOR ON BOYCOTT CULTURE As part of ongoing anti-dengue drive, a large-scale inspection was conducted at 104 police stations. P2 Actress Kirron Kher made a rare public appearance at premiere of her husband's film Tanvi The Great. P4 Vaani Kapoor believes censorshipin any form restricts an artiste’s freedom to take creative risks. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.24 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:34 AM » SATURDAY | 19 JULY 2025 | LUDHIANA Vet varsity professor falls prey to ‘digital arrest’ scam, loses ~20L Neighbour held for sexually assaulting minor Tribune News Service Took ~10 lakh bank loan to transfer money to fraudsters Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 18 Prof Dalpat Singh Malik (58) of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, fell prey to cyber fraudsters. The suspects, posing as CBI and IPS officials, threatened him on video calls and kept him under digital arrest for 14 days by threatening to implicate him in a human trafficking case. Believing to be trapped, Dr Malik transferred Rs 20 lakh to the fraudsters. He even took Rs 10 lakh loan from the bank to pay money to them. Later, when he realised that he was cheated, he lodged a police complaint. As per information, the professor received a phone call on July 2, in which the caller introduced himself as a CBI officer. Afterwards, the victim was frightened through a video call by showing fake identity and documents related to the case. He was told that after the arrest of some human trafficking gang members, they had taken his name and accordingly, he had also been booked in the case and he would have to pay money to avoid arrest. They also told the professor that arrest warrants were also issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In fear, Dr Dalpat transferred Rs 10 lakh from his account, which was a joint account of the victim and his wife, through the RTGS and later gave more money to the fraudsters. Another video call was received by him on July 15, in which the person claiming to be an IPS officer demanded another Rs 10 lakh, else threatened to implicate him in a case. This time, the professor reportedly borrowed money from the bank and transferred the amount to the fraudsters’ another account. The victim told the police that he was under digital arrest from July 2 to 15. Miscreants showed ‘CBI office’ set up The fraudsters were so smart that whenever they made video calls to the professor, they would call from a proper “office set up of the CBI”. Miscreants used to sit in a proper uniform to give the impression that CBI officers were holding interactions. They acted so professionally that even the victim did not suspect their intentions. Taught students through online mode Sources said since the professor was in the impression that he was put under digital arrest, he was teaching students through online mode so that no one would suspect him. However, cyber thugs kept threatening him that if he shared the matter with anyone, they would send him to jail. How fraud came to light The matter came to light when the professor’s wife received an SMS alert of a transaction regarding the joint account. She spoke to her husband and got information about the matter. Later, both of them reached the cyber cell police station and lodged a complaint. SHO, cyber cell police station, inspector Satvir Singh, said a case was registered against unidentified persons and the fraudsters would be arrested soon. Details of bank accounts in which the money was transferred were also being scrutinised. “The cyber cell had already started investigation. Soon, the police will get some vital clues to identify the culprits,” he said. When prominent bizman was duped of ~7 cr SP Oswal, chairman and MD of the Vardhman Group, was duped of Rs 7 crore in September 2024. The police had identified almost all suspects from Assam, West Bengal and Delhi and recovered Rs 5,25,00,600 with the arrest of Atanoo Choudhary and Anand Kumar Choudhary (both residents of Guwahati in Assam), the police said. Eightyone-year-old Col Parupkar Singh (retd) of the lost Rs 35.30 lakh in a digital arrest fraud case in January. In another incident in the past, cyber criminals had duped 71-yearold retired principal Susheela Verma of Rajguru Nagar of Rs 47.3 lakh by putting the victim under digital arrest, of the amount Rs 12 lakh was already recovered by the police. c m y b Man facing nine cases lands in police net with illegal weapon Ludhiana, July 18 A minor girl, studying in Class VII, was sexually assaulted by her neighbour. After committing the shameful act, the suspect tried to flee the area. But the Shimlapuri police arrested him after conducting a raid at his whereabouts. ASI Jaswinder Singh of the Shimlapuri police station said a woman had filed a complaint with the police, that her 16-year-old daughter was a Class VII student of a nearby school. On July 13, the girl was alone in her room when their neighbour Ram, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, forcibly entered the room and threatened the victim before raping her. The suspect fled the scene after threatening to kill her. When the girl’s mother returned home, the child told her about the assault. When the police received information about the incident, a police team arrested Ram. The police registered a case against the accused under various sections of the POCSO Act on Thursday. After obtaining the police remand of the suspect, he would be questioned further. Ludhiana, July 18 The Crime Branch of the Ludhiana police on Friday claimed to have nabbed a notorious criminal and seized a .32 bore pistol along with one round. The accused was identified as Ravi, alias Sonu (37), a native of Awa Basti, Ferozepur, and resident of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, Shimlapuri. Crime Branch in-charge inspector Beant Juneja said ASI Bhupinder Singh during patrolling on Barota road had received a tip-off that the accused, a native of Ferozepur, was possessing an illegal weapon and he was roaming on Star Road to commit some loot. Following which, a police team conducted a raid and nabbed the accused with the illegal weapon. The suspect in police custody in Ludhiana on Friday. He would be produced in a court and after procuring his police remand, the police would question the accused if he used the weapon to commit some loot. The police would also inquire about the illegal weapon supplier from whom the accused had bought the weapon, inspector Juneja said, adding that the supplier would also be nabbed in the case to recover illegal arms. Inspector Juneja said the accused had a criminal history as nine cases, including of liquor smuggling, theft and under the Arms Act, were already registered against him in the past at various police stations in Ferozepur. A case under the Arms Act has been registered. Bishnoi’s aide Ravi Rajgarh nabbed Doraha, July 18 Ravi Rajgarh, a notorious gangster, associated with Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, has been arrested by the Doraha police on Friday. A loaded .30 bore pistol has been seized from him. Doraha SHO Akash Dutt said Ravi had come to meet his father at his village. Acting on a tip off, the police arrested him even as he unsuccessfully tried to escape from the spot. “Ravi is involved in a number of crimes, including mur- der, attempt to murder, extortion, supply of arms and passport scam. He is a ‘B’ category gangster and his arrest is expected to lead to further revelations about the gang’s activities and network,” the SHO added. — OC