Bengaluru man dupes Karnataka govt engineer by posing as IT minister Priyank Kharge's aide

Priyank Kharge's office responded to the issue and alerted police about fraudsters looting people by pretending to have connections with the minister.

Published on: Oct 29, 2024, 15:52:13 IST

By HT News Desk

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In a shocking incident, a woman government executive engineer in Bengaluru was duped by a man who allegedly posed as an assistant to Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge. The accused extorted ₹80,000 from the engineer and promised her that he will help her to get the posting.

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According to reports, Dr Nagraj, a special officer on duty to Priyank Kharge, filed a complaint at Vidhana Soúdha police station. The complaint said that Kavya, an executive engineer in the Karnataka government, was reached out by a man named Raghunandan on October 14. He introduced himself as an assistant to Kharge and said that he would help her with her long-pending posting. He initially demanded ₹2 lakh for the posting.

However, he threatened Kavya and took ₹80,000 from her between October 15 and 16. Priyank Kharge's office responded to the issue and alerted police about fraudsters looting people by pretending to have connections with the minister.

A case was reportedly registered under BNS sections 204 (personating a public servant), 319 (cheating) and 351 (criminal intimidation), according to Deccan Herald. The suspect is yet to be arrested and police said that they are close to tracking down the accused.

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The fraudulent case took a steep rise in Karnataka as many people fell prey to the scamsters tactics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also highlighted the issue and alerted people to be aware of fraudsters who aim to steal hard-earned money by posing as government officials.

Increasing frauds in the country

In India, Victims lost ₹1,420.48 crore in trading scams, ₹222.58 crore in investment scams, and ₹13.23 crore in romance/dating scams, according to an Indian Express report which quoted Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) Chief Executive Officer Rajesh Kumar as saying.

There were 7.4 lakh complaints made between January 1 and April 30, 2024, with 15.56 lakh complaints received in the entirety of 2023, 9.66 lakh complaints in 2022, and 4.52 lakh in 2021, the report further said.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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