Maharashtra Cyber police have registered a case against stand-up comedian Pranit More, web developer Himanshu Jangra, and Dr Sejal Pawar for allegedly disseminating 'obscene and objectionable' content on social media, stemming from remarks made during a comedy show that trivialised consent and disrespected deceased persons.
Maharashtra Cyber has arrested a Telegram-based seller, Adiraj Rajendra Bait, for allegedly dealing in Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). The arrest followed an extensive investigation involving digital ecosystem monitoring, technical verification, and forensic analysis of the accused's mobile phone.
Social media influencer Allahbadia is likely to appear before the city police in a day or two.
Maharashtra Cyber Police have identified over 500 social media profiles involved in a coordinated cross-border disinformation campaign during a recent nationwide protest. The campaign used AI-generated and deepfake content to manipulate public perception and provoke unrest, with technical analysis pointing to elements operating from Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries. Legal action has been initiated, and the public is urged to verify information from credible sources.
Maharashtra Cyber will summon YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia again in connection with a case registered against him concerning his remarks on comic Samay Raina's web show 'India's Got Latent.' Allahbadia failed to appear before the agency on Thursday, and was also asked to remain present at the Khar police station after he failed to appear, an official said. The agency has so far summoned at least 50 persons to record their statements in connection with the case, including actor Raghu Ram, who was questioned on Thursday. Raina is scheduled to record his statement on February 18.
The Maharashtra government has taken steps to combat the rise in investment-related cybercrimes, including arrests, enhanced cybersecurity measures, and public awareness campaigns.
Gujarat cyber police have arrested 13 individuals allegedly involved in a network responsible for 982 cyber crimes across India, resulting in losses of over Rs 631 crore.
Assam Police have arrested a cyber fraudster suspected of involvement in multi-state digital crimes. The arrest was made by the Crime Investigation Department's Cyber Police Station, and the suspect is believed to have operated a highly active mule account.
Mumbai's civic-run KEM Hospital has initiated a two-member committee probe into controversial remarks made by MBBS student Sejal Pawar regarding male cadavers during a stand-up comedy show, which the hospital dean deemed 'unacceptable'.
Jharkhand police have uncovered an interstate cyber fraud network and arrested four individuals involved in fraudulent transactions across 24 states. The investigation was initiated following inputs from the Union Home Ministry's 'Samanvaya portal', leading to the discovery of a bank account in Ramgarh district used for the illicit activities.
Sonbhadra police have arrested five individuals from Rajasthan for operating an inter-state cyber crime racket involving blackmail, extortion, and impersonation, which allegedly led to a man's suicide.
The Maharashtra government has banned 114 items of literature from terrorist organisations like Islamic State and Al Qaeda, citing their role in glorifying extremism, promoting radicalisation, and threatening India's sovereignty and public order. The ban, issued via a gazette notification, follows intelligence inputs and ATS investigations into the circulation of such propaganda material.
Mumbai's KEM Hospital has placed MBBS student Sejal Pawar on compulsory leave for 15 days following her controversial remarks about male cadavers during a stand-up comedy show. The hospital has initiated a detailed inquiry, forming a five-member committee to investigate the matter, which sparked widespread social media outrage.
The Mumbai Police has assured the Bombay High Court that it will act promptly on cyber fraud complaints and sensitize all police officials to ensure prompt action and FIR registration when such complaints are filed. The assurance came after a city-based woman filed a petition alleging that the local police failed to act swiftly on her cyber fraud complaint, resulting in a loss of Rs 45 lakh. The court has directed the Additional Director General of Police (Maharashtra Cyber) to appear before it on April 22 to inform the bench on the formation of the Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation.
The Maharashtra government has banned the literature of terrorist organisations such as Islamic State, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, and Al Qaeda (AQIS), citing its content glorifying violent extremism, promoting radicalisation, and providing information on bomb-making and lone-wolf attacks.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar has proposed a Joint Working Group with the RBI and banks to address the issue of mule bank accounts used in cyber fraud. The proposal follows 'Operation Octopus,' which exposed vulnerabilities in KYC verification. Sajjanar also recommended strict directives for banks to fix accountability and adopt advanced technology to detect suspicious transactions.
Delhi Police have arrested five individuals for allegedly running an interstate cyber fraud syndicate that used mule bank accounts to launder money across India and abroad. The investigation revealed links to international handlers and the use of cryptocurrency to route funds.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has emphasised the need for the state police to enhance their preparedness in addressing modern challenges such as cybercrime and financial offences. He highlighted the importance of the police force in maintaining law and order and contributing to the state's economic progress during the closing ceremony of the 36th Maharashtra State Police Sports Competition.
Gujarat CID has arrested Rafiqul Alam, the alleged 'mastermind' behind 1,090 cybercrimes totalling Rs 1,071.5 crore, who was found to have links with China-based criminals and converted illicit funds into cryptocurrencies.
A 70-year-old man from Thane was allegedly duped of Rs 40.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters posing as police officers who threatened him with arrest in a fake terror funding case.
Police in Maharashtra's Amravati district have detained 10 individuals for questioning in connection with a sexual exploitation case. Authorities have also taken down 41 social media accounts used to circulate explicit content of victims. Additionally, police personnel seen celebrating the birthday of the prime suspect have been suspended.
Gurugram police have dismantled a cyber-fraud racket with links to the Philippines and Cambodia, arresting five individuals involved in the use and distribution of illegal SIM boxes.
Gujarat police have arrested 10 individuals in connection with a cyber fraud racket involving over Rs 53 crore and spanning at least 20 states. The accused lured individuals into renting out their bank accounts, which were then used to receive and transfer funds obtained through various fraudulent schemes.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral was allegedly duped of Rs 7.8 crore after cyber fraudsters impersonated him on a messaging app and tricked his company's chief financial officer into transferring funds to multiple bank accounts, the police said on Thursday.
Delhi Police arrested 27 individuals across 11 states for involvement in cyber fraud cases exceeding Rs 1.5 crore, uncovering a network engaged in various scams including investment fraud and social media impersonation.
A 57-year-old man from Thane district was defrauded of Rs 9.08 lakh by cyber criminals who used a malicious link disguised as a Mahanagar Gas bill payment update, gaining remote access to his device and siphoning funds.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a charge sheet against self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat in two of the 17 cases registered against him, accusing him of sexual harassment. The SIT cyber team has removed thousands of objectionable videos related to the cases, and multiple police departments are investigating the various charges against Kharat.
A 60-year-old retired man and 21 others in Thane district were allegedly defrauded of over Rs 31 lakh through a malicious link disguised as a piped gas bill update. The victims received an APK file via WhatsApp, leading to unauthorised debits from their bank accounts.
Hyderabad Police have dismantled a pan-India cyber fraud network, arresting 52 individuals across nine states in 'Operation Octopus 2.0'. The operation targeted bank officials, mule account holders, and middlemen involved in facilitating cyber frauds.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that over 91,000 missing girls have been traced and reunited with their families in the state over the past 13 years. Improvements in tracking mechanisms, police response, and criminal justice reforms have contributed to this success.
Delhi Police have arrested five individuals for allegedly supplying mule bank accounts to cyber fraud syndicates with links to Dubai. The arrests follow a complaint regarding a stock market investment scam where the victim was duped of over Rs 12 lakh.
Delhi Police have arrested two individuals involved in an investment scam where a local resident was cheated of Rs 1.60 lakh. The investigation has linked the accused to a broader cyber fraud network with transactions worth approximately Rs 68 lakh across multiple states.
A 42-year-old man from Thane, Maharashtra, was allegedly defrauded of 71.1 lakh by cyber criminals posing as CBI officers who threatened to implicate him in a false case.
A 45-year-old man in Thane, Maharashtra, died by suicide after being blackmailed by cyber criminals who threatened to circulate morphed obscene photographs of him on social media. The victim had been forced to transfer large sums of money before his death.
Maharashtra Cyber has issued advisories to various state government departments, including police, to take precautionary steps to avoid cyber attacks after the credentials of many of these departments were found on the darknet. The departments include the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), the Electricity Department, Maha DBT, among others. Maharashtra Cyber has also written to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recommending blocking of Wikipedia and Proton Mail platforms under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act for failing to comply with specific police directives.
Maharashtra's CET Cell has lodged a police complaint after an audio clip surfaced, allegedly showing a woman offering a 'special' exam centre for the MH-CET engineering entrance test for Rs 12 lakh, promising a high percentile.
Kota police, under the 'Mule Hunter' campaign, have arrested two individuals for allegedly committing online fraud, targeting victims as far away as Murshidabad, West Bengal. The arrests followed an analysis of suspected mule accounts and mobile numbers, revealing fraudulent transactions and prompting charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act.
Of these only 150 attacks were successful, officials said on Monday.
Telangana CID arrests 11 individuals, including an Afghan national, for allegedly operating online betting across multiple states through the Dafabet platform. The investigation revealed a complex network of mule accounts and a coordinated multi-state criminal operation.
A 19-year-old youth in Amravati, Maharashtra, has been arrested for allegedly sharing objectionable photos and videos of several women and girls online. A Rajya Sabha member has called for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.
