
Birju Salla, infamous for Jet Airways bomb hoax, arrested in cheating case
In 2017, he was accused of placing a hijack threat note onboard a Jet Airways flight, leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction by a sessions court. However, the Gujarat High Court overturned the conviction.He is also a suspect in a separate hijacking threat incident involving an IndiGo Airlines flight from Jeddah.In the latest case, Salla had reportedly been absconding after allegedly defrauding the jeweller. Mumbai Police is conducting a further investigation into the case.- Ends
IN THIS STORY#Mumbai

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Hindustan Times
6 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
1984 anti-Sikh riots: CFSL couldn't decipher 40-yr-old illegible FIR in Kanpur, UP tells SC
New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has been unable to decipher the contents of an over 40-year-old illegible FIR linked to the Kanpur 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The Uttar Pradesh government informed the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has been unable to decipher the contents of an over 40-year-old illegible FIR linked to the Kanpur 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. A bench comprising justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi took note of the affidavit filed by the state government and directed the investigating agencies to bring the matter back before the court once they are able to obtain a decipherable copy of the FIR. The court observed that if an expert body like the CFSL could not decode the FIR, no further action could be taken. However, it added that if the agencies were able to procure a clear copy of the document, the court would issue further directions. In its order, the bench noted that the CFSL report revealed the FIR in question was highly fragmented, with only two Hindi words partially legible. 'Except for these two words, the rest of the content is indecipherable,' the report stated. The bench added: 'No effective action in furtherance of the FIR can be taken at this stage. However, as and when the agencies are able to obtain a material copy, the matter shall be brought to the notice of this court without delay.' This FIR is part of a set of nine FIRs being investigated by the special investigation team (SIT), which has been revisiting the cases after 35 years. These cases were initially closed due to a lack of evidence. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea to reopen investigations into the killings of around 130 Sikhs in Kanpur during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Previously, the court had directed for the expedited trial of 11 cases related to the riots, in which chargesheets were filed following the reinvestigation of the cases. On Friday, the court was also informed that the Allahabad high court had stayed proceedings in several of these cases, causing delays in the trial process and denying timely justice to the victims' families after more than three decades. The bench expressed concern over the high court's decision to stay proceedings in three of the 11 cases, noting that the trials had begun only after chargesheets were filed by the SIT. 'While we do not wish to impact the right of a suspect or accused to avail their remedy, including quashing of the chargesheet, we request that the high court may take up these matters out of turn for adjudication in accordance with the law,' the bench said. The court emphasised that the 1984 tragedy occurred four decades ago and it was only through the Supreme Court's repeated interventions that the investigations were revived. The bench further pointed out that as time passed, securing key witnesses had become increasingly difficult. Ruchira Goel, standing counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the court that in four criminal appeals against acquittals in the Allahabad High Court, the delay in proceedings had been condoned. The appeals are now being actively pursued by the advocate general's office. The SC urged the Uttar Pradesh government to assign experienced criminal law officers to assist the high court in the pending criminal appeals. 'We wish to impress upon the advocate general to deploy the best state law officers for this purpose,' the bench stated. The state counsel was directed to ensure the high court receives a copy of the Supreme Court's order, and the matter was adjourned until September 15.


NDTV
34 minutes ago
- NDTV
CBI Busts Cyber Fraud Racket In Mumbai-Pune, Arrests 3 For Duping Americans
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate operating from Pune and Mumbai, arresting three accused and seizing digital devices, cash, and narcotics in coordinated raids. CBI registered the instant case on July 24 against unknown public servants of Banks and four private persons for running an illegal Call Centre operating since January 2025 in furtherance of a well-organised criminal conspiracy. The group, in connivance with other unknown persons, has been impersonating officials from agencies such as the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and even the Indian High Commission, to defraud unsuspecting US citizens, said the CBI. Under the threat of legal action. The victims were coerced into paying amounts ranging from $500 to $3,000 through gift cards or Bitcoin transfers. Spoofed VoIP-based calls were being made from a covertly operated illegal Call Centre situated at Pune. It has been revealed that the illegally earned proceeds, estimated to be Rs 3-4 crores monthly, are being laundered via mule accounts, cryptocurrency, and hawala routes. It was also revealed that these operations are supported by certain unknown public and private sector bank officials, who facilitate the opening and operation of fake accounts using forged KYC documents, violating established RBI and institutional guidelines. The call centre workers are paid in cash routed via hawala channels from both the US and domestic locations, including Maharashtra and Gujarat. These workers are housed in multiple residential flats across Pune. The scam's operation includes the illegal acquisition of contact leads through vendors on messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal. Victims are contacted via toll-free numbers generated and disseminated by these vendors, eventually connecting them to the fraudulent call centre, said the CBI. After registration of the case, searches at 7 places of the accused or the persons associated with them, including the illegal Call Centre run by the accused persons at Pune, were conducted by CBI on 24/25.07.2025. Various incriminating articles of cyber fraud/digital devices, viz. 27 mobile phones and 17 laptops, have been seized from the possession of the accused persons and their associates at the illegal Call Centre at Pune.


New Indian Express
36 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Five held for duping Burari woman in Rs 17 lakh work-from-home scam, laundering money via crypto
NEW DELHI: Five people were arrested for allegedly duping a woman of over Rs 17 lakh on the pretext of offering a work-from-home scheme by giving bogus online tasks. The woman, a resident of Burari, reported that she was unemployed and was lured into the fake work-from-home task scam via Telegram. She was tricked into performing bogus online tasks and making repeated UPI payments under the pretext of earning commissions. She also learned that fraudsters had illegally accessed her mobile number and identity credentials to obtain personal loans worth Rs 8.8 lakh from two reputed banks without her knowledge, police said. During investigation, it was found that the cheated amount was funnelled into mule accounts, converted into cryptocurrency, and laundered via a Telegram-based network of crypto buyers, officials said. Later, five people, including a woman, were nabbed, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said. They have been identified as Krish (19), a resident of Ashok Vihar; Deepak (23) and Gaurav (27), both residents of Rana Pratap Bagh; Manthan (19), a resident of Burari; and Nidhi Agarwal, alias 'Crypto Queen' (47), a resident of Kingsway Camp. Krish was the key person who managed the flow of defrauded funds. He admitted to collecting UPI IDs and bank account details from his associates and forwarded the same to cryptocurrency buyers through a Telegram-based channel named 'ATpay.' The funds received in these accounts were either withdrawn in cash or converted into USDT (Tether) cryptocurrency through Nidhi, who was operating locally by using international communication channels, the DCP said. Deepak was responsible for identifying and onboarding account holders willing to lend their bank accounts for fraudulent transactions. He used to facilitate these account transfers to Krish. He also introduced the accused, Gaurav (residing in the neighbourhood), who further brought in the accused, Manthan, a 19-year-old youth who knowingly provided his bank account for processing large sums of money on the inducement of petty commissions, police said. Victim made repeated UPI payments The victim was unemployed. She tricked into performing bogus online tasks and making repeated UPI payments under the pretext of earning commissions.