Latest news with #NationalSecurityAct
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Fraudsters pose as J&K ATS, dupe retd bank official of Rs 28L
Lucknow: In a new variation of 'digital arrest' scam, cyber fraudsters posing as officers of the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) duped a 63-year-old retired bank cashier in Lucknow of over Rs 28 lakh after confining him to psychological captivity through threats of espionage and sedition charges. The victim, Narendra Kumar Mishra, a resident of Vikas Nagar and a retired employee of Indian Overseas Bank, filed a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Gomtinagar, alleging that he was virtually placed under house arrest for over a week. The FIR was registered late Friday. According to Mishra, he received a phone call on June 28 from a man who introduced himself as an officer from the Jammu and Kashmir ATS. The caller accused Mishra of sending classified Indian Army documents to Pakistan and claimed that a case of terrorism was registered against him. Mishra was warned not to inform the police or anyone else, as he was "under surveillance." The pressure escalated when Mishra received a WhatsApp video call from a man dressed in a police uniform, who claimed to be UP ATS chief. The impersonator told him he could be arrested under the National Security Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act unless he "cooperated" discreetly. In a state of panic, Mishra began following their instructions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Desert Order Undo On July 1, he transferred Rs 10.99 lakh via RTGS to a bank account in the name of Shree Durga Mata Mandir Trust located in Badhra, Haryana. Then, on July 4, he was made to transfer Rs 17.45 lakh to another account in Mumbai under the name Ramesh Chandra. Throughout this period, the fraudsters maintained constant control over him through WhatsApp calls and messages. "They monitored my every move. They told me not to step out, not to speak to bank officials or my family. I was mentally locked up in my own house," Mishra told police. The money was part of his post-retirement corpus. It was only after the pressure began to lift and he spoke to a relative that Mishra realised he had been conned. Cybercrime cell in-charge, SHO Brijesh Yadav said: "We are tracing the flow of money and identifying the mule accounts. The scam has characteristics similar to other 'digital arrest' frauds, but the impersonation of J&K ATS is a new twist," he said. Police believe this may be part of a wider network of cyber criminals who are shifting tactics by invoking high-stakes national security fears to exploit individuals. Officials are also examining whether deepfake videos or pre-recorded uniformed visuals were used to impersonate ATS officers.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Team Amritpal to challenge MP's continued detention under NSA in SC
Amritsar: Team Amritpal has decided to challenge the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA) against Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh for the third time in the Supreme Court . The team also expressed resentment over Amritpal's continued solitary confinement in Assam's Dibrugarh Jail, even as nine other persons who were detained alongside Amritpal at the high-security prison had already been shifted to Punjab. Advocate Imaan Singh Khara, legal counsel for Amritpal Singh, informed that he recently met the Lok Sabha member from Khadoor Sahib at Dibrugarh Jail and following the meeting, they have decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution seeking protection of Amritpal Singh's fundamental right to personal liberty and quashing of the third NSA order imposed on him. Amritpal Singh's detention under the NSA was extended for the third time on April 23. Imaan Singh also lamented that Amritpal Singh remained in solitary confinement, even as the other detainees had been transferred to different jails in Punjab. Out of the other nine detainees, four have been transferred to Bathinda Jail, three to Patiala Jail, and one each to Amritsar and Ropar jails, he said. It all began in Feb 2023, when Waris Punjab De activists, led by Amritpal Singh, stormed Ajnala police station under the cover of Guru Granth Sahib demanding the release of their associate Lovepreet Singh Toofan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Are You From Bangladesh? You Might Qualify For AI Courses Artificial Intelligence Course | Search Ad Undo During the incident, which was widely described as an attack on the state, eight police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police were injured. Such was the attack that the DSP required 18 stitches. In response, the police on March 18, 2023, launched an operation to apprehend Amritpal and after a month-long manhunt, he was finally arrested on April 23, 2023, from Rode village in Moga district. A senior member of the Team Amritpal, meanwhile, informed that Amritpal had not only given consent to contest the ensuing Tarn Taran byelection under the banner of Akali Dal Waris Punjab Dae, but also called upon the people of the constituency to support the party candidate. Sources said the party was still considering Paramjit Kaur Khalra's name for the bypoll and was in touch with the rights activist. Paramjit Kaur, however, in a post on X, had denied contesting any election. "Very soon we will announce our candidate and begin campaigning," said the source. MSID:: 122922747 413 |
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Today in History: Americans with Disabilities Act signed into law
In 1863, Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70. In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. Clement Attlee succeeded him. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which reorganized America's armed forces as the National Military Establishment and created the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the US military. In 1953, Fidel Castro began his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy on America's fourth successful manned mission to the moon. Advertisement In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination based on mental or physical disabilities. In 2002, the Republican-led House voted to create an enormous Homeland Security Department in the biggest government reorganization in decades. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. In 2018, the last six members of a Japanese doomsday cult who remained on death row were executed for a series of crimes in the 1990s, including a gas attack on Tokyo subways that killed 13 people. Previously, seven other cult members were executed on July 6 of that year. Advertisement In 2020, a procession with the casket of the late US Representative John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten 55 years earlier. Birthdays: Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard is 86. Football Hall of Famer Bob Lilly is 86. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love is 84. The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger is 82. Actor Helen Mirren is 80. Rock musician Roger Taylor is 76. Olympic gold medal figure skater Dorothy Hamill is 69. Actor Kevin Spacey is 66. Actor Sandra Bullock is 61. Actor Jeremy Piven is 60. Actor Jason Statham is 58. Actor Olivia Williams is 57. Actor Kate Beckinsale is 52. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is 45. Actor Juliet Rylance is 45. Actor Monica Raymund is 39. Actor-singer Taylor Momsen is 32. Actor Elizabeth Gillies is 32. Actor Thomasin McKenzie is 25.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act
Today is Saturday, July 26, the 207th day of 2025. There are 158 days left in the year. Today in History: On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination based on mental or physical disabilities. Also on this date: In 1775, the Continental Congress established a Post Office and appointed Benjamin Franklin its Postmaster-General. In 1847, the western African country of Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, declared its independence. In 1863, Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70. In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. Clement Attlee succeeded him. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which reorganized America's armed forces as the National Military Establishment and created the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the U.S. military. In 1953, Fidel Castro began his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. (Castro ousted Batista in 1959.) In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy on America's fourth successful manned mission to the moon. In 2002, the Republican-led House voted to create an enormous Homeland Security Department in the biggest government reorganization in decades. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. In 2018, the last six members of a Japanese doomsday cult who remained on death row were executed for a series of crimes in the 1990s, including a gas attack on Tokyo subways that killed 13 people. Previously, seven other cult members were executed on July 6 of that year. In 2020, a procession with the casket of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten 55 years earlier. Today's Birthdays: Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard is 86. Football Hall of Famer Bob Lilly is 86. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love is 84. The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger is 82. Actor Helen Mirren is 80. Rock musician Roger Taylor (Queen) is 76. Olympic gold medal figure skater Dorothy Hamill is 69. Actor Kevin Spacey is 66. Actor Sandra Bullock is 61. Actor Jeremy Piven is 60. Actor Jason Statham is 58. Actor Olivia Williams is 57. Actor Kate Beckinsale is 52. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is 45. Actor Juliet Rylance is 45. Actor Monica Raymund is 39. Actor Francia Raisa is 37. Actor-singer Taylor Momsen is 32. Actor Elizabeth Gillies is 32. Actor Thomasin McKenzie is 25.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Associates allege drug abuse by Amritpal, says police chargesheet
Chandigarh: Two associates of Waris Punjab De chief and jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh have claimed in their disclosure statements before the police that Amritpal was "hooked to drugs" in Punjab and "consumed them in Assam's Dibrugarh jail too". The statements of Bhagwant Singh, alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, and Varinder Singh Fauji, were recorded in police custody in March after they were brought to Punjab from Dibrugarh jail earlier this year to face trial in the Ajnala police station attack case. At least six cops were injured in the attack, in which Amritpal and his associates barged into the police station using Guru Granth Sahib as a "shield" to get one of their associates freed. On Feb 24, 2023, Amritpal and his associates were booked on attempted murder and several other charges. While Amritpal is lodged for the third year in running in Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act (NSA), Bajeke and Fauji spent two years there. Their disclosure statements are part of a charge-sheet filed by the police in a court in Ajnala last month. They have been sent to the sessions court in Amritsar, as the attempted murder case is under trial there. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn more about Sterilization Using Autoclave Technology contentcuehub Search Now Undo According to the statements, Amritpal "used Signal and Zigana apps, carried a special iPhone without any SIM card, talked to various persons living abroad while he was in Punjab and in Dibrugarh jail, and behaved weirdly in Dibrugarh jail, often hurling abuses at his associates under the influence of drugs." Responding to the claims, Imaan Singh Khara, the legal adviser of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), the political party Amritpal Singh's faction launched in Jan this year, said that such "confession statements have no value in the court." He added, "It is per se not admissible in the court." Claiming that Bajeke told him over phone from the official landline number of Bathinda jail, where he is lodged, that he did not give any such statement to the police, Khara alleged that "police got the signatures on blank papers". He alleged that it was "a deliberate attempt to defame and tarnish the image of Amritpal Singh by labelling him as a drug addict because he leads the campaign against drugs. It is character assassination. " Khara said, "Only statements made in the court are admissible." Khara also said that "the statements hold no relevance in context to the Ajnala incident FIR." A senior Punjab Police officer, privy to the developments in the case, said, "These are disclosure statements of the accused and are part of a supplementary charge sheet submitted in the court. These may come into play in the course of the investigation." BOX Bid to defame: Lawyer Ritu Raj Singh Sandhu, counsel for the associates of Amritpal Singh in the case, said the "disclosure statements are an attempt to defame Amritpal Singh." Sandhu said, "The disclosure statement should focus on the relevance of the facts in the case and any related recoveries, for example, recovery of weapons if any fact emerged. What he (Amritpal) does or does not do is not relevant. Were they to recover drugs in the case? Also, the disclosure statements are not in proper format. Instead of questions and answers or conversations, these are like essays written by someone." MSID:: 122884271 413 |
