Tag: bhopal

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is facing serious allegations of financial irregularities after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Shabista Zaki claimed discrepancies worth ₹43 lakh in the construction of the corporation’s new headquarters. According to BMC’s civil department, the initial estimated cost of the new building was over ₹22.50 crore. As per regulations, the Mayor-in-Council (MiC) could authorize a maximum 20% cost escalation, but the project cost was directly increased by 50%, raising the total budget to over ₹33 crore. In addition, more than ₹6 crore was further added to the corporation’s 2025-26 budget, even though the construction remains incomplete. A new completion deadline has now been set for June 30. Key Allegations by Zaki: Corporation’s Defense: Responding to the allegations, Mayor-in-Council member Ashok Vani defended BMC’s actions, stating that the SD was returned against a bank guarantee (BG), calling it standard procedure. He further asserted that the GST revision aligned with Central government rules and that due process was followed. However, Zaki countered this claim, insisting that no such bank guarantee was submitted and that there is no official documentation supporting the GST rate change.

A tragic accident in Bhopal claimed the life of a 21-year-old Air India air hostess, Harshita Sharma, late Thursday night after the car she was travelling in plunged into the Kolar canal. The incident was reported by police on Friday. According to authorities, Harshita was out for a drive with her two friends, Jai and Sujal, when the car suddenly veered off course near the Holy Cross School bridge in Kolar. Police said the vehicle lost control while trying to avoid a cow that unexpectedly appeared on the road. In the driver’s attempt to steer clear of the animal, the car skidded and fell into the canal. Police File Case of Negligent Driving Kolar police station in-charge Sanjay Soni confirmed that a case of negligent driving has been registered against Jai, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. Harshita suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby private hospital in critical condition. Doctors later declared her brain dead, and she passed away early Friday morning. Her friends, Jai and Sujal, sustained only minor injuries and are recovering. Family Devastated, Unaware of Her Presence in City In a heart-wrenching revelation, Harshita’s father, Pradeep Sharma, said the family was unaware that she had arrived in Bhopal. She had informed them on Wednesday night that she would be coming to celebrate his birthday on Friday, but they did not know she had already reached the city and was staying at a hotel. The family only learned of the incident after a friend, Shivani, called to inform them that Harshita had been admitted to the hospital. By the time they arrived, doctors had already pronounced her dead. Investigation Underway Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Further action will be taken based on the results of the post-mortem report, authorities said. The untimely death of Harshita Sharma has sent shockwaves through the community and aviation circles, where she was known to be a dedicated and cheerful cabin crew member.

In a shocking case of cybercrime, Swami Supradiptananda, secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior, was duped of ₹2.5 crore by cybercriminals posing as Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The scam, executed with chilling precision, kept the swami under what police describe as a “digital arrest” for 26 days, isolating him from all contact with the outside world. According to SP Dharamveer Singh, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the matter. The scammers initiated contact on March 15, accusing the swami of involvement in a ₹20 crore money laundering case supposedly linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal. They exploited real-world developments in the Goyal-Canara Bank case to lend credibility, even referencing the November 2023 ED prosecution complaint. To further entrap him, the fraudsters sent forged documents, including: The swami was told that the ashram’s funds needed verification by RBI and would be returned post-investigation — a claim that later proved false. Under psychological pressure and threats of arrest, a ₹5 lakh fine, and 7 years in prison, he complied with their every demand. For 26 days, he was made to send hourly updates, including live location, selfies, and was instructed not to communicate with anyone — not even ashram officials or family. The con artists managed to extract personal, financial, and institutional details, convincing the swami to authorize the transfer of ₹2,52,99,000 to multiple unknown accounts under the guise of legal compliance. When promised refunds failed to materialize and calls from the fraudsters ceased by April 11, Swami Supradiptananda realized the ruse and immediately reported it to the authorities. Police have since traced one of the beneficiary accounts to Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, and dispatched teams to West Bengal, Assam, and other locations as part of the ongoing probe. Swami Supradiptananda has been associated with the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior since 2014. The case serves as a stark reminder of the increasingly sophisticated nature of cyber frauds in India, especially those targeting respected institutions and individuals through psychological manipulation and forgery.