Note ban can't stop future blackmoney flow: Assocham

January 17, 2017

New Delhi, Jan 17: Demonetisation may wipe out the present stock of black money held in cash from the economy but cannot eliminate the ill-gotten wealth converted into assets such as gold and real estate, Assocham said today. However, the industry body has suggested measures like lowering stamp duty on property transactions to tackle the menace.

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"Invalidating existing high-denomination notes addresses the stock of black money but does little to address future flows. Eliminating such flows will require further reforms like lowering stamp duty on property transactions, electronic registration of real estate etc," the Assocham study said. Moreover, it said, indications that most of the scrapped currency has returned to the banking system through right or wrong means do suggest that demonetisation may not even fully wipe out the existing stock of ill-gotten cash.

"To that extent, even our study may turn out to be ambitious if the tax authorities are not able to trace the money laundered through different accounts. Given the resource constraints with the tax authorities, carrying out such an exercise for identification of laundered money may be a herculean task," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said. The study pointed out that high denomination currency withdrawal is not without some inherent problems.

"It is very difficult to separate black money from white money because distinction is not once-and-for-all. White money used to purchase something becomes black if the shopkeeper does not pay sales tax," the study noted, adding that much of conspicuous consumption is paid for in unaccounted money, which, in the hand of the recipients can again become perfectly legal income. Ultimately, the problem of undisclosed incomes and wealth has to be tackled at the source, Assocham highlighted.

"Government must reduce the opportunity and incentives for unaccounted transactions by narrowing the gap between the market value and the one fixed by the government agencies for different levies like stamp duty etc," Rawat said. Further, in order to check the menace of black money, the chamber suggested measures, which include reducing discretionary powers of officers by framing rules and laws clearly and not leaving them to individuals' interpretation.

"Ironically, several of our laws are badly drafted and framed, leaving scope for official discretion. The problem in a way starts here," the chamber said. A strong political will would be required to deal with this issue and bureaucrats drafting the proposed legislations should be clearly instructed not to leave any grey areas, it added.

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January 18,2025

Sullia, Jan 18: In a shocking incident, a man shot his wife dead during a fit of rage over a minor argument and later took his own life by consuming poison. The heartbreaking event unfolded late Friday night in Kodimajalu in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada.

The accused, identified as Ramachandra Gowda alias Chandra (53), used his licensed firearm to commit the crime. His wife, Vinoda (43), tragically lost her life in the incident.

On the fateful night, Ramachandra reportedly started an argument with his family after dinner over a trivial matter. The heated exchange escalated, and in a fit of uncontrollable anger, he allegedly aimed his firearm at his elder son, Prashanth. Vinoda intervened to prevent the attack, attempting to wrest the gun from Ramachandra.

However, enraged by her intervention, Ramachandra turned the gun on Vinoda and shot her, leaving her dead on the spot. Overwhelmed by the gravity of his actions, he consumed acid, commonly used for rubber processing, to end his own life.

Based on Prashanth’s statement, a case has been registered at the Sullia police station. The tragic sequence of events has left the village in shock and mourning, raising concerns about the unchecked escalation of domestic disputes.

This devastating incident underscores the importance of addressing domestic tensions before they spiral into irreversible tragedies.

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January 17,2025

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Mangaluru: In a brazen daylight robbery, a group of five to six armed individuals stormed into the Kotekar Vyavasaya Sahakara Seva Sangha branch at KC Road, Ullal taluk, and escaped with valuables estimated at ₹10-12 crore.

The incident occurred between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, according to Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal. The masked robbers, aged between 25-35, were armed with a pistol, talwar, and knife. They threatened the four to five employees present, forcing them to open the vault containing jewellery and other valuables.

The suspects spoke in Hindi and Kannada and fled the scene in a black Fiat car. Commissioner Agrawal confirmed that multiple police teams have been formed, and efforts are underway to track the culprits using technical surveillance and other leads.

CM Siddaramaiah Holds Emergency Meeting

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials, including IGP Amit Singh, Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, SP Yathish N, and DySP, following the robbery.

Expressing dissatisfaction over security lapses, Siddaramaiah questioned, "How did this happen despite officials being present? Why were toll gates not secured?"

Officials reported that the bank had no security personnel and only five to six staff members on duty during the heist. The Chief Minister has directed authorities to enhance security across four districts, intensify checks at toll gates, and arrest the accused swiftly to ensure stringent legal action.

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January 9,2025

Udupi: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 38-year-old woman from Karkala in Udupi district, has reportedly lost Rs 24 lakh to a digital arrest scam. The victim, Preema Sheril D'Souza, fell prey to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated through fake calls and threats.

According to the complaint filed, the incident unfolded on Tuesday when Preema received a call at 12:30 pm from an individual claiming to represent the Delhi Telecom Department. The caller alleged that another SIM card had been purchased using her Aadhaar number and was being used for illegal activities in Uttar Pradesh, leading to multiple cases being registered against her.

To add credibility to the scam, the caller arranged a video call where a person dressed as a police officer introduced himself as a CBI official. This individual instructed her to cooperate with the "investigation" and warned her not to disclose the matter to anyone. The scammer also issued threats, claiming that harm would come to her husband and child if she failed to comply.

Under duress, Preema was coerced into sharing her bank account details and transferring a staggering Rs 24 lakh to accounts specified by the fraudsters. She transferred Rs 14 lakh to an account in Federal Bank and Rs 10 lakh to an account in Yes Bank via RTGS from her Fixed Deposit account. The threats of an arrest warrant further pressured her into complying with the scammers' demands.

Upon realizing the fraud, she reported the incident to the authorities. A case has since been registered at the Karkala Rural Police Station, and investigations are underway.

This incident serves as a critical reminder to stay vigilant against such scams. Individuals are advised to verify the identity of callers and refrain from sharing sensitive information or transferring money without proper authentication. If you encounter similar fraudulent activities, report them immediately to the police or cybercrime cell.

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