On 8th February, the Central Bureau of Investigation stated in a press release that the agency had apprehended three accused, including a Senior Auditor of the Office of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA), Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, and two private individuals, including the proprietor of a private company, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh to release a payment of Rs 55.96 lakh from a drone manufacturer. The payment was for a project undertaken by the complainant’s company, which supplied UAVs to the Indian Army in 2023. A total bribe of Rs 10 lakh was sought, with Rs 8 lakh as the first instalment from the complainant.
CBI apprehends three accused including Senior Auditor of the Office of Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA), New Delhi and two pvt persons including proprietor of private company for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 8 lakh as first instalment from the complainant pic.twitter.com/Sfm8FAghdg
— Central Bureau of Investigation (India) (@CBIHeadquarters) February 8, 2025
OpIndia accessed the FIR filed in the matter. The FIR was registered on 7th February 2025 under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act against two accused, including a public servant from the Office of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA), Ministry of Defence, Defence Offices Complex, New Delhi, and a private individual who was a defence supplier. The complaint was lodged by the Senior Vice-President of the finance department of the company Raphe mPhibr, Varun Narang.
In his complaint, Narang alleged that the accused demanded Rs 10 lakh from the complainant, who is also a defence supplier, for his already cleared bills. The complainant further alleged that he was threatened that the payment would be obstructed if the bribe was not paid.
The FIR mentioned that an invoice of Rs 55.96 lakh had already been cleared by the ministry and credited to the complainant’s account. The accused then allegedly threatened the complainant, stating that if he wanted subsequent invoices cleared, he would have to pay the bribe.
Furthermore, the complainant stated that the accused public servant agreed to accept Rs 8 lakh as the first instalment of the bribe. The amount was supposed to be paid to the private individual, the second accused in the case.
Upon receiving the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused employee of the defence supplier red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from the complainant. Later, the owner of the private defence supplier was also apprehended by the agency.
During the investigation, the identity of the accused public servant was revealed as a Senior Auditor at the Office of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA), Ministry of Defence, Defence Offices Complex, New Delhi, after which he was also apprehended by the agency.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the CBI said, “The CBI registered a case against two accused – Senior Auditor Deep Narayan Yadav and defence supplier Akash Kapoor – over allegations that they demanded Rs 10 lakh from the complainant for his already cleared bills and threatened to obstruct the payment of further bills.”
The spokesperson added, “The CBI laid a trap and caught an employee of the accused defence supplier red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from the complainant as the first instalment. Later, Kapoor, who is the owner of Akash Polytechnic Pvt Ltd, was also apprehended.”
Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress and a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, stirred the hornet’s nest on Monday (17th February) by downplaying threats from China and claiming that the Communist-run country is not ‘our enemy’.
While speaking to news agency IANS, he claimed, “I don’t know what is the threat from China. I think there is always this thing blown out of (at times) proportion.”
Sam Pitroda blamed the US for creating a hostile perception of China. He went on to blame India for harbouring an attitude of confrontation towards the Communist regime.
Watch: On whether US President Donald Trump and PM Modi will be able to control the threat from China, Indian Overseas Congress Chief Sam Pitroda says, "I don't understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the U.S. has a tendency… pic.twitter.com/UaBvPVqdsr
“Our attitude is that of confrontation from day one and that attitude creates enemy and that creates certain support in the country. I think we need to change that pattern,” he added.
“To assume that China is the enemy from day one is just not fair, not just to China but to anybody,” the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress brazened out.
He continued to heap praises on China. Sam Pitroda concluded, “I think it is time for us to learn to increase communication, collaborate, cooperate and co-create and not have this command and control mindset. China is around, China is growing.”
Congress and their China love
Interestingly, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has expressed his admiration for China on several occasions.
In his controversial speech at Cambridge Judge Business School in March 2023, Rahul Gandhi hailed China as an ‘aspiring superpower’ and ‘force of nature’. He further alleged that China harbours ‘social harmony’.
The Gandhi scion had also lauded China’s controversial and predatory Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
During a conversation with The Print columnist Shruti Kapila in 2022, Rahul Gandhi praised the Belt and Road Initiative and claimed that China wanted the countries around it to prosper.
During his tour to Ladakh in 2023, Rahul Gandhi claimed that China had grabbed India’s grazing land in Ladakh. However, Gandhi during his UK visit in May 2022 had asserted that “Ladakh is to China what Ukraine is to Russia.”
The Congress leader back then had even urged foreign powers to intervene in India’s internal matters. Back in 2020, details about the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation’s (RGF) monetary operations emerged.
OpIndia had previously published detailed pieces about the Chinese government’s financial contributions of more than Rs 1 crore to RGF between 2006 and afterward.
In 2008, during UPA1, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Congress party signed an agreement for the sharing of high-level information and collaboration.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have served as trustees of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation since 2005, while Sonia Gandhi serves as the foundation’s chairperson.
It’s amusing to see how times change and even ‘partners’ turn hostile, even if just to score political brownie points.
The Congress party had signed an MoU with the Chinese government, and Rahul Gandhi had secretly met Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui in 2017 during the Doklam standoff.
He even secretly met Chinese ministers in September 2018 during his Kailash Mansarovar visit.
The Assam Cabinet on Sunday directed an enquiry into the activities of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh targeting India and Assam. Notably, in recent weeks, it has been alleged by many that Sheikh has close links with Elizabeth Gogoi, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife who has allegedly retained her British citizenship even 12 years after the marriage.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the cabinet would take action on the matter after Ali Tauqeer Sheikh’s comments on social media on India’s internal matters emerged. In the meeting on Sunday in Guwahati, the Assam Cabinet adopted a resolution calling for an investigation on Sheikh’s activities and his accomplices in India.
The Assam Cabinet has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam to register a case against Ali Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhtia (BNS) and other relevant laws. Additionally, the Assam Cabinet also directed an extensive inquiry to be conducted to ascertain whether these activities are part of a larger conspiracy and to identify any sympathisers or associates within Assam and across India who may be aiding Mr Sheikh’s Anti India agenda.
The cabinet said that the inquiry may cover the following aspects:
Investigate the width and depth of Ali Sheikh’s network within the State of Assam and across India
Examine individuals, organisations and accomplices based in Assam and rest of India who have aided and abetted Mr Ali Sheikh’s actions against India.
Seek relevant assistance and information from concerned agencies and departments of the Government of India and Government of Assam in the course of the above-mentioned investigation.
The resolution adopted by the cabinet stated:
In recent days multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Mr Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Additionally, a perusal of his social media activity includes exhaustive commentary on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters raising serious concerns on the said individual’s intention to compromise and damage India’s interests.
Closer examination of information from the public domain reveals that Mr Ali Sheikh is an influential individual with pervasive roots in the Government of Pakistan and its leadership, having even represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in international forums. It has been brought to the attention of the Assam Cabinet via publicly available information, that Mr Ali Sheikh has even served the Government of Pakistan in several advisory positions and via committees constituted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the Government of Assam takes Mr Ali Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the State of Assam and the Republic of India with utmost seriousness.
Following a scrutiny of his social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that Mr Ali Sheikh has been in contact with Smt Elizabeth Gogoi a British national and the wife of Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Assam, Shri Gaurav Gogoi. Apart from his engagements with Government of Pakistan, Mr Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Smt Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national, was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Furthermore, both Mr Ali Sheikh and Smt Elizabeth Gogoi, a British National, have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan.
The Assam Cabinet notes its concerns regarding the explicit involvement of a Pakistan based leader and other actors of a climate action group in matters concerning India’s internal affairs thereby raising serious questions on its actual intent and operations.
The Assam Cabinet on Sunday directed an enquiry into the activities of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh targeting India and Assam. Notably, in recent weeks, it has been alleged by many that Sheikh has close links with Elizabeth Gogoi, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife who has allegedly retained her British citizenship even 12 years after the marriage.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the cabinet will take action on the matter after Ali Tauqeer Sheikh’s comments on social media on India’s internal matters emerged. In the meeting on Sunday in Guwahati, the Assam Cabinet adopted a resolution calling for investigation on Sheikh’s activities and his accomplishes in India.
The Assam Cabinet has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam to register a case against Ali Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhtia (BNS) and other relevant laws. Additionally, the Assam Cabinet also directed an extensive inquiry to be conducted to ascertain whether these activities are part of a larger conspiracy and to identify any sympathisers or associates within Assam and across India who may be aiding Mr Sheikh’s Anti India agenda.
The cabinet said that the inquiry may cover the following aspects:
1. Investigate the width and depth of Ali Sheikh’s network within the State of Assam and across India
2. Examine individuals, organisations and accomplices based in Assam and rest of India who have aided and abetted Mr Ali Sheikh’s actions against India.
3. Seek relevant assistance and information from concerned agencies and departments of the Government of India and Government of Assam in the course of the above-mentioned investigation.
The resolution adopted by the cabinet stated:
In recent days multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Mr Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Additionally, a perusal of his social media activity includes exhaustive commentary on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters raising serious concerns on the said individual’s intention to compromise and damage India’s interests.
Closer examination of information from the public domain reveals that Mr Ali Sheikh is an influential individual with pervasive roots in the Government of Pakistan and its leadership, having even represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in international forums. It has been brought to the attention of the Assam Cabinet via publicly available information, that Mr Ali Sheikh has even served the Government of Pakistan in several advisory positions and via committees constituted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the Government of Assam takes Mr Ali Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the State of Assam and the Republic of India with utmost seriousness.
Following a scrutiny of his social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that Mr Ali Sheikh has been in contact with Smt Elizabeth Gogoi a British national and the wife of Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Assam, Shri Gaurav Gogoi. Apart from his engagements with Government of Pakistan, Mr Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Smt Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national, was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad. Furthermore, both Mr Ali Sheikh and Smt Elizabeth Gogoi, a British National, have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) which operates in both India and Pakistan.
The Assam Cabinet notes its concerns regarding the explicit involvement of a Pakistan based leader and other actors of a climate action group in matters concerning India’s internal affairs thereby raising serious questions on its actual intent and operations.
The resolution added that the Assam Cabinet expects this matter to be pursued with utmost seriousness in the interest of India’s security and sovereignty. “The Assam Cabinet notes that the State of Assam has historically remained a hotspot for ISI sponsored activities, necessitating heightened vigilance and decisive action,” it added.
The resolution added that the Assam Cabinet expects this matter to be pursued with utmost seriousness in the interest of India’s security and sovereignty. “The Assam Cabinet notes that the State of Assam has historically remained a hotspot for ISI sponsored activities, necessitating heightened vigilance and decisive action,” it added.
The ‘Mecca of Indian Cricket’, Eden Gardens will mark both the commencement and the conclusion of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League 2025, by hosting the tournament opener between Defending Champions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22 and the final on May 25.
Eden Gardens, the home ground of KKR will also play host to Qualifier 2 on May 23. Notably, this is the first time in almost a decade, that the IPL will conclude at the iconic Eden Gardens, having done so previously in 2013 and 2015.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The 18th edition of the prestigious tournament will commence on March 22, 2025, and the Final will be played on May 25, 2025,” IPL said in a statement.
The other two playoff matches, Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will be played in Hyderabad, home of 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad, on May 20 and May 21, respectively.
Overall, IPL 2025 will consist of 74 matches spread over 65 days, including 12 double-headers. The tournament will kick off with a mouth-watering affair between KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22.
On the following day (March 23), a double-header action will be on the cards for fans, with SRH taking on Rajasthan Royals in the first match, followed by the IPL’s most celebrated rivalry. On the same day, two five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, will add another chapter to their rivalry at Chepauk.
Three of the ten IPL teams will play at two venues each. Delhi Capitals will play their home games in Visakhapatnam and the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Rajasthan Royals will play their two home games at Guwahati against KKR and CSK. The Royals will then play the remainder of the home games at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings will play their four home matches at the New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh. The scenic Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (HPCA) stadium in Dharamsala will host three home games of PBKS against LSG, DC and MI.
IPL 2025 Full Schedule:
Match 1: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, March 22, Kolkata
Match 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, March 23, Hyderabad
Match 3: Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians, March 23, Chennai
Match 4: Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants, March 24, Visakhapatnam
Match 5: Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings, March 25, Ahmedabad
Match 6: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, March 26, Guwahati
Match 7: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants, March 27, Hyderabad
Match 8: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, March 28, Chennai
Match 9: Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians, March 29, Ahmedabad
Match 10: Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, March 30, Visakhapatnam
Match 11: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, March 30, Guwahati
Match 12: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, March 31, Mumbai
Match 13: Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings, April 1, Lucknow
Match 14: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, April 2, Bengaluru
Match 15: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, April 3, Kolkata
Match 16: Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians, April 4, Lucknow
Match 17: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals, April 5, Chennai
Match 18: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, April 5, New Chandigarh
Match 19: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, April 6, Kolkata
Match 20: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans, April 6, Hyderabad
Match 21: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, April 7, Mumbai
Match 22: Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings, April 8, New Chandigarh
Match 23: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals, April 9, Ahmedabad
Match 24: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals, April 10, Bengaluru
Match 25: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, April 11, Chennai
Match 26: Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans, April 12, Lucknow
Match 27: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings, April 12, Hyderabad
Match 28: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, April 13, Jaipur
Match 29: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, April 13, Delhi
Match 30: Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings, April 14, Lucknow
Match 31: Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, April 15, New Chandigarh
Match 32: Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals, April 16, Delhi
Match 33: Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, April 17, Mumbai
Match 34: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings, April 18, Bengaluru
Match 35: Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals, April 19, Ahmedabad
Match 36: Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants, April 19, Jaipur
Match 37: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, April 20, New Chandigarh
Match 38: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, April 20, Mumbai
Match 38: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, Sunday, 20-Apr-25, 7:30 PM, Mumbai
Match 39: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, April 21, Kolkata
Match 40: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, April 22, Lucknow
Match 41: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians, April 23, Hyderabad
Match 42: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals, April 24, Bengaluru
Match 43: Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, April 25, Chennai
Match 44: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, April 26, Kolkata
Match 45: Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants, April 27, Mumbai
Match 46: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, April 27, Delhi
Match 47: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans, April 28, Jaipur
Match 48: Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, April 29, Delhi
Match 49: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings, April 30, Chennai
Match 50: Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, May 1, Jaipur
Match 51: Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 2, Ahmedabad
Match 52: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings, May 3, Bengaluru
Match 53: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, May 4, Kolkata
Match 54: Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants, May 4, Dharamsala
Match 55: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals, May 5, Hyderabad
Match 56: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans, May 6, Mumbai
Match 57: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings, May 7, Kolkata
Match 58: Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, May 8, Dharamsala
Match 59: Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, May 9, Lucknow
Match 60: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders, May 10, Hyderabad
Match 61: Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians, May 11, Dharamsala
Match 62: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans, May 11, Delhi
Match 63: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, May 12, Chennai
Match 64: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 13, Bengaluru
Match 65: Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants, May 14, Ahmedabad
Match 66: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals, May 15, Mumbai
Match 67: Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings, May 16, Jaipur
Match 68: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders, May 17, Bengaluru
Match 69: Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, May 18, Ahmedabad
Match 70: Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 18, Lucknow
Match 71: Qualifier 1, May 20, Hyderabad
Match 72: Eliminator, May 21, Hyderabad
Match 73: Qualifier 2, May 23, Kolkata
Match 74: Final, May 25, Kolkata.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 16th February, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), United States, published a post on X announcing a list of funding initiatives that were recently stopped or cancelled. In the list, one particular funding allocation raised eyebrows in India. According to DOGE’s post, $486 million was given to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), which included $21 million for ‘voter turnout’ in India—equivalent to Rs 182 crores as per today’s USD to INR value.
US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled: – $10M for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision" – $9.7M for UC Berkeley to develop "a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills" – $2.3M for "strengthening…
Established in 1995, according to CEPPS’s About Us page(now pulled down), it is a coalition of nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nongovernmental organisations dedicated to promoting democratic institutions and governance worldwide. The organisation claims to bring together the expertise of three leading international organisations: the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). These three serve as fronts through which CEPPS operates in different countries.
It further claims to support democratic development by collaborating with political parties, election management bodies, parliaments, civil society groups, and democracy activists. The organisation has been active in over 140 countries and provides extensive democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) programming, often partnering with USAID and other donors to deliver large-scale initiatives tailored to diverse political landscapes.
CEPPS is primarily funded by USAID. It also receives support from other international donors to carry out its mission worldwide. Over the years, CEPPS claims to have facilitated election monitoring, civic engagement, and institutional development, reinforcing democratic norms in regions spanning Asia, Africa, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Notably, during our research, we noticed that CEPPS has received over $2 billion in funding from USAID since its inception.
Interestingly, CEPPS’s website is no longer functional. An organisation that received millions of dollars in funding from USAID and has been active since 1995 pulled down its website after 23rd January 2025. We mention 23rd January because it was the last time CEPPS’s website was archived on archive.org.
How CEPPS interferes in elections worldwide
We accessed a document titled Review of the Fiscal Year 2024 United States Agency for International Development Budget, dated 26th April 2023, which categorically mentioned that USAID has paid $2 billion in funding to CEPPS for Elections and Political Processes (EPP) programmes. Interestingly, CEPPS received 66% of USAID EPP funding in the Financial Year 2021. Furthermore, information gathered about Democratic Elections and Political Processes sheds more light on how billions of dollars have been used to directly interfere in elections worldwide under the guise of providing support to strengthen democracy.
With just a glance at these documents, it is evident that while CEPPS presents itself as an organisation dedicated to strengthening democracy, its actual role raises serious concerns about foreign interference in elections. CEPPS is primarily funded by USAID, which is part of the US government. CEPPS has received over $2 billion since 1995 to work on election-related projects across more than 140 countries. This level of funding and influence suggests that CEPPS is not just an observer of democratic processes but an active player in shaping them.
One of the biggest red flags is that CEPPS does not just assist election commissions. It clearly states that it directly engages with political parties, civil society groups, and even election monitoring bodies. This means it has the ability to influence political dynamics in the countries where it operates. The Democratic Elections and Political Processes (DEPP) programme, under which CEPPS works, is structured in a way that allows the US to provide funding and support to selected groups, potentially tilting election outcomes in their favour, if required.
Additionally, a 2019 USAID Inspector General report pointed out that relying on one organisation like CEPPS for political party assistance exposes USAID to major risks, including loss of credibility and allegations of foreign interference. Despite this warning, CEPPS continued to receive a dominant share of USAID’s funding, with 66% of USAID’s election-related budget in 2021 alone going to this single entity. This shows a clear pattern of funnelling massive resources to a small group of US-backed organisations that influence elections globally.
CEPPS presence in India
As mentioned above, CEPPS operates via three fronts: the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). To make it evident that USAID has had a significant financial influence in Indian elections for years, it should be noted that CEPPS spent $318,614 in India in FY 2018, as clearly stated in its audit report.
Now comes the shocking part. IFES, which signed an MoU with the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2012 under then-Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, is not just funded by USAID but also by several private entities with questionable motives.
In May 2012, the Election Commission of India (ECI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in New Delhi to develop and strengthen democratic institutions and electoral processes. According to the then-issued press release, the MoU aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange, joint training programmes, research, and capacity-building initiatives through ECI’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM). The agreement was signed by SY Quraishi, the then Chief Election Commissioner of India, and William Sweeney, President and CEO of IFES.
Source: ECI
Considering the fact that IFES is heavily funded by USAID via CEPPS, other sources of its funding also need to be scrutinised. According to IFES’s “Our Partners & Donors” section, the Election Commission of India itself is listed as a funder alongside major public entities like USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and Australian Aid.
Source: IFSC
However, the real concern arises with IFES’s private funders, which include Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Open Society Foundations (OSF). Notably, OSF is owned by George Soros, a figure widely accused of funding anti-India activities. The fact that an organisation receiving funding from Soros has had a formal agreement with the Election Commission of India raises serious concerns about the extent of foreign influence over India’s electoral processes. This makes it imperative to question IFES’s real role and motives in India and how deeply it has interfered in Indian elections under the guise of collaboration.
Source: IFSC
The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) partnership with IFES did not end with the 2012 MoU—it continued under IIIDEM (India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management) and International Idea, a global intergovernmental organisation. IIIDEM, an ECI-established body, was founded in 2011—the same time when SY Quraishi signed the MoU with IFES. It is important to note that ECI is an autonomous body. This means that while the Government of India is not directly working with IFES, it is engaging with IIIDEM.
OpIndia is still investigating USAID’s possible role in election interference via CEPPS. As more information emerges, additional reports will follow.
On this date 16th February) in 1956, India bid farewell to the great scientist and patriot Meghnad Saha who gave the world the path-breaking Thermal Ionisation Equation. Saha was born on October 6, 1893, in a humble Bengali family in a small village of Seoratali in Dacca district which, back then, was a part of the Bengal Presidency.
His early life
Meghnad Saha was born to a humble shopkeeper Jagannath Saha and Bhubaneshwari Devi. Saha was the fifth child out of their eight children. The family struggled to make ends meet due to which his siblings had to drop out of school. But seeing Saha’s interest his education, his elder brother arranged for his education. After completing primary school, Saha was facing difficulty continuing his education as the nearest secondary school was 10 km away from his house. Saha’s brother found a sponsor named Ananta Kumar Das for his education who funded his lodging and boarding expenses. Das was a doctor who agreed to keep Saha in his house on the condition that he would help in the housework.
Saha joined a city collegiate school in Dhaka in 1905 where his brother financially supported him. After clearing his intermediate exams in 1911, Saha joined the President College, Kolkata where he was taught by kinds of Prafulla Chandra Ray and Jagadish Chandra Bose. After graduating in Mathematics, he completed his master’s in Applied Mathematics from Calcutta University in 1915.
His career
Meghnad Saha started his career by joining as a lecturer in the Department of Applied Mathematics in the Calcutta University College of Science in 1916. He joined the physics department later but struggled to get his papers published in journals due to the insufficient budget of the college.
Fortunately, in 1919, Saha received the Premchand Roychand Scholarship for his dissertation in the ‘Harvard Classification of Stellar Spectra’. With the scholarship, he was able to stay in Europe for two years which allowed him to work in labs of scientists like Alfred Fowler and Walter Nernst.
After returning to India, Meghnad Saha joined Allahabad University as a professor in 1923 and taught there till 1938. In 1927, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1927. He also presided the 21st session of the Indian Science Congress in 1934. Subsequently, he joined the University of Calcutta and became Dean of the Faculty of Science. He taught there till his death in 1956.
In 1916, under the visionary leadership of Vice-Chancellor Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, the University of Calcutta appointed Meghnad Saha and his classmate Satyendra Nath Bose as lecturers in the Department of Mathematics. Both had been students of the eminent scientist Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose.
His revolutionary Thermal Ionisation Equation
In 1920, Meghnad Saha made a revolutionary contribution to the world of astrophysics by formulating the Thermal Ionisation Equation also known as ‘Saha Equation’ which was later perfected by the British astrophysicist Edward A. Milne. The Thermal Ionisation Equation is a mathematical equation that explains the relation of the ionisation of a gas with its temperature and pressure. It shows how the Ionisation of a gas changes as it approaches thermal equilibrium.
The equation is applied in astrophysics to classify the stars and study their spectrum. Since the equation links the composition and appearance of the spectrum with the temperature of the light source, it helps in determining the characteristics of the chemical composition of light like a star and also in determining its temperature.
His thesis on the ‘Origin of Lines in Stellar Spectra’ won him the Griffith Prize of Calcutta University.
His other contributions
Meghnad Saha took several initiatives to promote academics in India. Saha was responsible for designing India’s first ever nuclear physics syllabus in MSc. in 1940. He also built a a cyclotron which was a first in the country. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Indian Science News Association in 1935 and the Insitute of Nuclear Physics in 1950.
In 1952, Saha successfully contested Parliamentary elections as an independent candidate from the North-West Calcutta constituency. As an MP, he ensured that the Saka Calender is adopted as the national calender in 1956.
The Delhi Police on Sunday stated that confusion over the identical names of two trains–Prayagraj Express and Prayagraj Special– led to confusion and triggered the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday, Delhi Police said.
According to officials, the announcement that the Prayagraj Special would arrive at Platform 16 created panic among passengers who were waiting for the Prayagraj Express at Platform 14.
The passengers, in confusion, who couldn’t board their train at platform 14, assumed their train was arriving at platform 16, leading to overcrowding and the subsequent stampede. Passengers holding general tickets started rushing towards platforms 12, 13 and 14, leading to chaos and congestion.
The stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night claimed the lives of 18 people. The incident happened around 10 pm when thousands of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing severe overcrowding at the station.
Additionally, four trains were scheduled to depart for Prayagraj, three of which were delayed, causing an unexpected surge of passengers at the station. Those unable to board Prayagraj Express at Platform 14 started moving towards Platform 16, which further led to chaos, the Delhi Police said.
At the time of the stampede, the train placement at New Delhi Railway Station was as follows: Prayagraj Express at Platform 14, Magadh Express at Platform 12, Swatantrata Senani Express at Platform 13, and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani at Platform 15, with the latter three trains running delayed via Kumbh.
Earlier today, Delhi Police held a high-level meeting to discuss the initial inquiry report on the New Delhi Railway station stampede and initiated an inquest proceeding headed by a DCP-rank officer.
Meanwhile, a two-member committee has been formed, which has initiated a High-Level Inquiry (HAG) into the stampede investigation.
The Indian Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh by the Indian Railways was announced to the families of the deceased who lost their lives in the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station.
A compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh has been announced for the seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Bangladesh, under the reign of Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, is gradually following the footsteps of Pakistan in terms of radical Islamisation.
On Thursday (13th February), the detective branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested poet Sohel Hasan Galib on allegations of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad. He was thereafter taken to the office of the Detective Branch for questioning.
Galib was produced before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate court on Friday (14th February), following which he was sent to jail. The poet’s only mistake was that he wrote a satirical poem on the antics of the radical Islamic outfit ‘Tawhidi Janata.’
Sohel Hasan Ghalib, a poet, has been arrested for blasphemy for writing a satirical poetry that ironically predicts his predicament. Tawhidi Janata just jumped right into his trap and sued him. The Nobel Man’s cop didn’t bother to put him behind the bar. pic.twitter.com/KKlp129L45
His bail application was rejected and the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police sought his 10-day custody for interrogation. The targeting of the poet is just based on one social media post.
The police have, however, claimed that the arrest of Sohel Hasan Galib was based on his ‘derogatory comments’ about Prophet Muhammad in a poem, which is part of the collection ‘Amar Khutbaguli’. The poet was booked under Section 54 of CrPC.
Growing intolerance in Bangladesh
The book was also available at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka, which also coincidentally came under the attack of a radical Muslim book for selling another book by author Taslima Nasreen.
Nonetheless, 105 academics came forward on Saturday (15th February) to appeal to the Muhammad Yunus-led-interim government to release Sohel Hasan Galib. However, it fell on deaf ears.
Bangladesh had fallen into the hands of Islamists since the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister. They want to penalise ‘blasphemy’ which concerns insult to Quran, Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
When Bangladesh High Court recommended death penalty for blasphemy
In November 2024, OpIndia reported how the High Court of Bangladesh recommended strengthening the Cyber Security Act to make ‘blasphemy’ punishable by life imprisonment and death penalty in the country.
“There should be a provision of punishment like death penalty or life imprisonment for such unnecessary, unconscionable, obstinate and provocative speech and conduct against the Quran and Muhammad (Pbuh), which the parliament may consider,” a 2-Judge Bench of Justices MR Hassan and Fahmida Quader stated.
They further declared, “To discourage any such inflammatory speech or act which is likely to offend the minds of people of any religion, or to cause fear, terror, discomfort or apprehension in any of them, enhancing the punishment for such offences and to make them non-bailable must be considered.“
The Bangladesh High Court added, “If the offenders who are involved in the respective links of the charge sheet are not brought under the law, in every case the main culprit or the main conspirator or the main source will remain out of touch. Hence, there needs to be an appropriate order in this regard.“
Currently, the maximum punishment imposed by the blasphemy law in Bangladesh is 2 years imprisonment and a fine of 5 lakh Taka. The country’s High Court now recommends increasing the maximum punishment to non-bailable charge, life imprisonment and death penalty.
Business tycoon and the head of the US government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly become a father for the 13th time. The news came out after author and conservative political commentator Ashley St. Clair posted on X on 15th February that she gave to birth to Elon Musk’s baby five months ago. In her post, Clair wrote that she did not disclose the fact before to protect the child’s privacy. She urged the media to ‘refrain from evasive reporting’.
”Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father. I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child’s privacy and safety, but in recent days is has become clear that tabloid media intends to do do, regardless of the harm it will cause. I intend to allow our child to grow in a normal and safe environment. For that reason, I ask that the media honor our child’s privacy, and refrain from evasive reporting,” wrote Clair.
A day later Clair reportedly urged Musk to finalise their co-parenting agreement. As per reports, the 25-year-old author had expressed frustration over Musk’s lack of response in a now-deleted post on X. In the post, she reportedly claimed that she and her team have been trying to reach Elon Musk for days but he did not acknowledge their messages.
Musk has not yet made any official statement regarding the matter. However, he responded to a post on X alleging that Clair plotted for years to trap Musk. “Ashley St. Clair plotted for HALF A DECADE to ensnare Elon Musk,” wrote an X user to which Musk responded by writing “Whoa”.
As per reports, a statement was issued by Clair’s representative, Brian Glicklich, confirming that Clair and Musk had been in private discussions regarding a co-parenting agreement but the efforts were disrupted by media reports.
“It is disappointing that a tabloid reporter who repeatedly ambushed Ashley and her family, made it impossible to complete that process confidentially,” he said. “we are waiting for Elon to publicly acknowledge his parental role with Ashley, to end unwarranted speculation, and Ashley trusts that Elon intends to finish their agreement quickly, in the best interests of the well being and security of the child they share,” he added.
In an exclusive interview with The New York Post after the revelation, Clair said that she met Musk for the first time at Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco. At that time she was working for the satire site Babylon Bee. The relationship between the two grew, leading to her pregnancy, she said.
Clair claimed that Musk wanted her to keep their baby a secret “for everyone’s safety.” She said, “I was told to keep it secret. I was being asked to keep it a secret forever.” She added that she decided to not keep it a secret anymore because tabloids had started to snoop around.
New York Post also claimed that Musk provided St Clair with a lavish apartment but no romance. She was put up in a glitzy apartment in Manhattan’s Financial District and given a security detail. However, Clair said that despite these facilities, she had to spend her pregnancy alone. “I was completely isolated during my pregnancy. Every part of my career and everything I used to do I couldn’t do anymore. I was told not to tell anybody,” she claimed.
During the pregnancy, she went away from the limelight and social media, until she posted a photo from President Trump’s inauguration on 20th January.
The report said that the NY Post viewed texts between St. Clair and Musk’s money manager Jared Birchall, showing that Musk wanted his name not to be mentioned in the birth certificate, to which she agreed. Clair said that some people suspected that she had given birth to Musk’s child, and began stalking her and then started to threaten the child.
“There was a cohort of very violent stalkers who started threatening my toddler, they would send me photos of him with blood and that I would witness his blood splattering death and saying I was Elon’s whore,” she claimed. She added that she still decided to remain silent, until one tabloid started snooping around.
Clair said that before the post on Musk owned X, she had informed Musk’s team that she was revealing the matter. “He ignored it,” she claimed.
Ashley St. Clair is a conservative political commentator and influencer known for her outspoken views and media presence. She authored the children’s book “Elephants Are Not Birds,” which reflects her advocacy for conservative ideologies. St. Clair has appeared at events alongside prominent right-wing figures and has been active in conservative media circles.
If the claims of Clair are true, it will be the 13th child of Musk with the fourth woman. The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has fathered 12 children with three different women before this.
With his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, Musk had six children. Their first son, Nevada Alexander, born in 2002, tragically died of sudden infant death syndrome at 10 weeks; they then welcomed twins, Griffin and Vivian Jenna, in 2004, and triplets, Kai, Saxon, and Damian, in 2006. Musk and Wilson divorced in 2008.
In 2020, Musk and Canadian musician Grimes (Claire Boucher) had a son who was named X Æ A-Xii by Musk, followed by a daughter, Exa Dark Sideræl, born via surrogacy in 2021. In 2023, they welcomed another child.
Additionally, Musk has three children with Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink: twins born in 2021, Strider and daughter Azure, and another child born via surrogacy in early 2024.
A two-member committee has been formed to investigate the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Februray 15, in which 18 people died and several sustained injuries. The committee comprises Narsingh Deo, Northern Railway’s Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM), and Pankaj Gangwar, its Principal Chief Safety Commissioner (PCSC), the railways said on Sunday.
The committee has initiated a High-Level Inquiry (HAG) into the incident, the Railways said. As part of the investigation, the committee has ordered securing of all video footage from the Railway Station to aid in the probe.
The stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station took place at 10 pm on Saturday as lakhs of devotees were heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh 2025 festival, causing significant overcrowding at the station.
The deceased were identified as Aaha Devi, 79; Pinky Devi, 41; Sheela Devi, 50; Vyom, 25; Poonam Devi, 40; Lalita Devi, 35, Suruchi, 11; Krishna Devi, 40; Vijay Sah, 15; Neeraj, 12, Shanti Devi, 40, Pooja Kumar, 8, Sangeeta Malik and Poonam, both aged 34, Mamta Jha, 40, Riya Singh, 7, Baby Kumari, 24, and Manoj, 47.
The Indian Railway has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased who lost their lives in Saturday’s stampede. Additionally, as per the release, a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh has been announced for the seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.
The Indian Railways Northern CPRO told ANI that the tragedy unfolded at New Delhi Railway Station when a passenger lost balance and slipped on the stairs leading to platforms 14 and 15, resulting in several others getting injured.
“A two-member high-level committee has been formed to investigate the matter…The situation is under control, and the passengers have been sent by special train… Train movement at the railway station is normal now,” Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity (ED/IP), Railway Board.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
