Two judges of the Karnataka High Court recently reported that they received suspicious phone calls from unknown callers who allegedly tried to blackmail the judges..First information reports (FIRs) registered by the Vidhan Soudha Police Station at Bengaluru indicate that Justice SG Pandit and Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur received such phone calls on March 15..As per the FIR filed with respect to the phone call received by Justice Pandit, the unknown caller claimed he was from the DOPT (Department of Personnel and Training) and alleged that a case would be registered against the judge at Mumbai because advertisements were illegally posted and objectionable messages were sent using a SIM belonging to the judge. The caller added that the case could be “settled” if the judge were to speak to “the police” officer, to whom the caller could transfer the call. After the call was forwarded, a second caller is alleged to have spoken in a loud voice and told the judge that “if you give money, I will solve it (the case)”, before the call was cut.Similar allegations were made in the FIR filed over the phone call received by Justice Herur.Both judges anticipated that these calls could be made by a group which systematically conspires to threaten and cheat the public. On concerns that such a scam may continue, they directed the High Court’s security personnel to take appropriate legal action.Two FIRs were then registered by the Karnataka Police on March 16 on complaints submitted by the High Court’s security personnel.
Two judges of the Karnataka High Court recently reported that they received suspicious phone calls from unknown callers who allegedly tried to blackmail the judges..First information reports (FIRs) registered by the Vidhan Soudha Police Station at Bengaluru indicate that Justice SG Pandit and Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur received such phone calls on March 15..As per the FIR filed with respect to the phone call received by Justice Pandit, the unknown caller claimed he was from the DOPT (Department of Personnel and Training) and alleged that a case would be registered against the judge at Mumbai because advertisements were illegally posted and objectionable messages were sent using a SIM belonging to the judge. The caller added that the case could be “settled” if the judge were to speak to “the police” officer, to whom the caller could transfer the call. After the call was forwarded, a second caller is alleged to have spoken in a loud voice and told the judge that “if you give money, I will solve it (the case)”, before the call was cut.Similar allegations were made in the FIR filed over the phone call received by Justice Herur.Both judges anticipated that these calls could be made by a group which systematically conspires to threaten and cheat the public. On concerns that such a scam may continue, they directed the High Court’s security personnel to take appropriate legal action.Two FIRs were then registered by the Karnataka Police on March 16 on complaints submitted by the High Court’s security personnel.
