Former AIADMK minister S P Velumani receives death threat; probe on
AIADMK
minister S P Velumani received a threat letter from an unidentified person on Thursday, stating that he would be murdered if he failed to leave Rs1 crore in a bag at a waste dumping site located on Kalapatti-Vellanaipatti road between 2pm and 2.30pm on May 25 for his person to pick up.
Velumani was also warned against approaching police, stating his family members would be murdered, if he did so. The letter was undersigned with the note, "Allahu Akbar Pakistan Zindabad".
AIADMK functionary and lawyer K Dhamodaran has petitioned city police commissioner A Saravana Sundar in this regard. He said Velumani was out of town for 10 days and noticed the letter, which was sent from Kalapatti post office on May 15, only on Thursday.
"There will be a bomb blast in Coimbatore before July 30, 2025, and we have plotted to kill you. Our people are stationed near you, and our organization needs money. We have people inside the police department. We have proof of the illegal possession of black money," the letter read. Velumani was asked to pay Rs1 crore to the organization or face dire consequences.
Based on the complaint, the Kuniyamuthur police have begun an investigation to trace details of the sender of the letter.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Brother's Day wishes
,
messages
and quotes !
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
"False, Misleading": DMK Denies Collecting Aadhaar For Membership Drive
Chennai: A day after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court restrained the ruling DMK from collecting Aadhaar details and OTPs from the public during its membership drive, the party has strongly denied the allegations in court, calling them "false and misleading." Appearing before the bench on Tuesday, the DMK submitted that it does not collect Aadhaar numbers or any other personal documents for its membership campaign. The party clarified that the OTP system is used solely to record voluntary consent from individuals seeking to enrol, and not for any Aadhaar-based authentication. The submission comes in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an AIADMK advocate, who alleged that the DMK's ambitious membership drive - aimed at enrolling at least 30% of the state's voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections - was in violation of the Aadhaar Act and individual privacy rights. The petitioner had accused the DMK of coercing citizens, especially women, into sharing Aadhaar numbers, ration cards, voter IDs, and bank passbook details. It was also claimed that mobile numbers were being collected, followed by an OTP-based verification allegedly linked to Aadhaar, creating a politically motivated voter database. However, the DMK, in its counter, told the court, "No Aadhaar-based OTPs are being sought." "Members are being enrolled purely on the basis of the Electoral Roll released by the Election Commission. No documents like Aadhaar, ration card, or passbook are being collected. The PIL is based on misinformation spread by AIADMK," it said. Though the court did not stop the party's enrolment drive, DMK's counsel informed that the enrolment drive has been paused in light of the court's interim order and urged the bench to treat the case as an urgent matter, allowing the party to clarify its position in fairness. The court has now directed the DMK to file a formal impleading petition, giving it an opportunity to be heard officially in the matter. Yesterday, one of the judges also noted that during Tuesday's proceedings, natural justice required the respondents (including DMK) to be given a chance to respond before any adverse findings are recorded. The high court had on Monday restrained the DMK from collecting Aadhaar and OTP details based on the PIL's claims. The order had also tagged the Election Commission and UIDAI for their response, given the implications for voter data protection and political data usage. The case is expected to be taken up later this week, with the court likely to hear detailed arguments from all sides. The outcome could set a precedent on the boundaries of political data collection and the use of digital verification in party enrolment campaigns.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Washroom Heist: Luxury Fittings Worth Rs 35 lakh Stolen From 5-Star Hotel In Kolkata
Last Updated: Luxury bathroom fittings worth Rs 35 lakh vanished from Kolkata's Oberoi Grand hotel during renovation. An FIR was filed, and an internal probe is underway. A renovation project at Kolkata's iconic Oberoi Grand hotel turned into a crime scene, with luxury bathroom fittings worth Rs 35 lakh vanishing without a trace. The theft came to light when the hotel's shift engineer noticed something odd — a staggering 228 showerheads and eight designer ceiling fans had mysteriously disappeared. These high-end fixtures, temporarily dismantled and stored in a pantry during ongoing repair work, were nowhere to be found, Times of India reported. An FIR has been filed in the incident, and police said the items may have been whisked away along with construction debris during the renovation process. As many as 20 personnel from a private firm were given the task of securing the premises. Lack of CCTVs and absence of adequate lighting might be reasons why thieves were able to pull off the heist without getting caught. An internal probe was ordered by the hotel, which is also reviewing all recent construction activities and worker movements. The Oberoi Grand in Kolkata began a major restoration and upgrade project in August 2024, announcing an 18-month closure to carry out extensive conservation work. Once the first phase is complete, the hotel is set to reopen with 50 redesigned rooms and suites, fully operational restaurants, banquet halls, and improved service areas, along with a modernised mechanical, electrical, and plumbing setup. A second phase, expected to last an additional 12 months, will bring the total to 200 renovated rooms and suites. The banqueting facilities, however, will continue to remain in service during the renovation. First leased in 1938, this historic Kolkata property has long been admired for its grand colonial architecture. Notably, in August 2018, the hotel had also closed for 18 months — its first major renovation in 25 years — during which 50 rooms were added to its inventory. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
'Blood-Sucking' Fraud Bust: Police Nab 'Dr Zeriwala', Whose Treatment Charged Rs 5000 Per Drop
Initially, Sameer, Dr Zeriwala's supposed assistant, played hard to get. It was claimed that the doctor was busy treating patients in Dubai and Canada. A gang — named 'Dr R Zeriwala" — was busted with the arrest of a fraud who promised to cure paralysis by sucking out 'poisonous blood" from patients' bodies, charging them Rs 5,000 for every drop. The fraud began last year in November, when 67-year-old Mahesh Chadha — partially paralysed after a 2020 brain stroke — and his wife Madhu, a retired government teacher, stopped for breakfast at a Murthal dhaba, where encountered Mohammad Kasim, who posed as Nitin Aggarwal, and told them a story about how his father had recovered from similar paralysis through Dr Zeriwala's treatment. He also shared his contact number and an address in Delhi's Dwarka. Over the next few days, the fraudsters meticulously built trust, with Kasim arranging calls between the victims and people posing as his parents, Times of India reported. Initially, Sameer, Dr Zeriwala's supposed assistant, played hard to get. It was claimed that the doctor was busy treating patients in Dubai and Canada. When the couple finally secured an appointment, the fraudsters orchestrated a theatrical performance at the Chadha home, where the fake doctor promised to visit on December 4. According to TOI, the scam involved Sameer first administering 'heated towel therapy", followed by Dr Zeriwala's dramatic entrance. Dr Zeriwala used a blade to make incisions on the paralysed areas and sucked blood through a pipe, spitting it onto a chemical-treated surface that turned it yellow — supposedly proving it was 'poisonous". Reportedly, Dr Zeriwala demanded Rs 5,000 for every drop of blood extracted, claiming he had risked his own life as the toxins had flown into his mouth and required him to take special medicine. The gang fished out a total bill of Rs 25 lakh. The couple at first paid Rs 1 lakh in cash and promised to clear the remaining dues later, however, Dr Zeriwala called them the next day, pressuring them transfer Rs 19 lakh, claiming he had to send further medicines. Once the money went through, the accused switched off their phones. Suspecting they had been conned, Madhu filed a complaint and a case of cheating was registered against 'Dr Zeriwala', Nitin, Meenakshi, and Sameer on December 23 last year. Following months of investigation, the cops finally arrested Kasim from Sansgod village in Rajasthan on April 4, 2025. Kasim confessed to receiving Rs 2.5 lakh as his share. The police investigation revealed that the accused — members of the Singhi gang — had orchestrated similar frauds across Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Noida. The cops said they were trying to trace the gang's network to multiple states, with numerous members operating from Sangod village. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
