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People accused of serious crimes becoming public representatives: Does India need a new law to bar criminals and separatists from becoming MPs and MLAs?

Rukma Rathore
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People accused of serious crimes becoming public representatives: Does India need a new law to bar criminals and separatists from becoming MPs and MLAs?

The announcement of the Delhi assembly elections in January has only intensified the political temperature of the national capital. The polls are now around the corner with the voting to commence on 5th February and the results scheduled to be declared on 8th February. All political parties are making their utmost efforts for victory. It is quite evident that all moral principles, which are quite glaringly absent in the political landscape, have been sacrificed for the sake of electoral support, notably from the minority community.

A prime case in point is the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a party that claims to champion the cause of minorities but, in reality, only panders to extremist elements as its entire leadership has a long history of perpetrating divisive and hateful narratives against Hindus. Hence, the endorsement of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain who has been involved in the 2020 anti-Hindu riots in Delhi, as a party candidate is not surprising. However, it is certainly a disappointing development for the democratic fabric of the nation.

Tahir Hussain has been identified as a prime accused of inciting the violence. His property was utilized to orchestrate the unrest and it served as a hideout for several rioters along with a depot for various weapons, including petrol bombs. He is currently facing several charges including murder, rioting and money laundering under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. However, the Delhi High Court provided him with custody parole to submit his nomination for the Mustafabad assembly constituency.

While the situation might appear demoralizing, the more pressing concern is that it is the norm and not an exception. The political parties award election tickets to such individuals to enhance their electoral prospects, especially those that predominantly depend on minority votes. They disregard the criminal backgrounds of these candidates because the latter wield a privileged position and considerable influence over the populace. Furthermore, as provisions of Indian democracy allows independent candidates to fight polls, such criminals exploit the opportunity as demonstrated in the recent Lok Sabha election.

Using the country’s democracy to pursue separatist agenda

The Lok Sabha election attracted widespread attention not only because of the surprise results, wherein the Bharatiya Janata Party was left a few seats short of 272, but also for certain people who had marked their presence in the respective constituencies with remarkable triumphs. The name of Amritpal Singh was especially in the headlines after he won from the Khadoor Sahib seat. He has not only advocated for the separation of Punjab from India but is also an outspoken supporter of the Khalistan movement.

The members of his organisation “Waris Punjab De” and supporters even attacked Ajnala police station to release one of their associates from custody. Amritpal Singh has ties to both international Khalistan terror groups and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, according to Indian security officials. Photographs of Khalistani flags, symbols, money, firearms bearing the “A.K.F” (Anandpur Khalsa Fauj) and other incriminating proof was uncovered on the phone of one of his close aides.

There were suspicious deposits totaling around Rs 40 crore, primarily from overseas sources, found in the accounts of some “Waris De Punjab” members. According to information, he has been assembling his own army and “human bomb squads” consisting of young people who have been groomed to become suicide bombers like terrorist Dilawar Singh. Even his wife Kirandeep Kaur who lived in the United Kigdom has links with terror outfit Babbar Khalsa.

Amritpal Singh is presently incarcerated at Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail under the National Security Act (NSA). He was given a parole and flown to New Delhi for his oath-taking ceremony as an member of parliament. A man who had earlier vowed and left no stone unturned to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of India, as well as to violate the constitution, took an oath to uphold the very tenets he breached and more importantly, intend to do the same until his nefarious goal is achieved.

The electoral victory has fortified his confidence to such an extent that he has now proclaimed the formation of a political party. It was announced at a rally in Muktsar Sahib in the presence of his father Tarsem Singh and Faridkot MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the son of Beant Singh, one of the assassins of former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi. Similar to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), his party is also poised to manipulate the authority and rights granted by the Constitution with the aim to balkanize and undermine the country.

The next name defeated the present chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and a political royalty Omar Abdullah, from Baramulla. A vocal anti-Indian and anti-Hindu voice from the valley Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid who was arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on terror funding charges and is serving his time in the Tihar Jail comfortably managed to defeat the Abdullah scion.

The former had also won the assembly election in 2008 and 2014 from the Langate constituency and even established the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party which joined forces with the radical Jamaat-e-Islami to fight the last Jammu and Kashmir assembly poll. He has a long history of involvement with secessionist outfits, including the People’s Conference led by Abdul Ghani Lone, which was a key participant in the Muslim United Front that contested the 1987 elections with an Islamist agenda. He gained further notoriety in 2015 for arranging a beef party on the lawns of the government circuit.

What does the law say: The right to vote vs the right to be elected

The Supreme Court acknowledged that free and fair elections are a component of the “basic structure” of the Indian Constitution, and that any legislation or policies that would contravene this principle could be overturned, in the 1975 case of Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain. It also noted that the rights to vote and to be elected do not have the same standing as free and fair elections, despite the fact that they are regarded as the most important constitutional provisions.

In Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India, 2006, a five-judge constitution bench concluded that the right to vote (or the right to elect as it was known) is “pure and simple, a statutory right.” Voting is therefore not a fundamental right and is subject to repeal. The bench observed the same for the right to vote, concluding that both of these statutory rights could be governed by laws passed by Parliament.

“Disqualification on conviction for certain offences” is the heading of Section 8 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 (RP Act). Let us assume that a person is convicted of one of the offenses, which is mentioned in the broad list of offenses in the proviso. In that event, they shall be debarred from seeking election to a seat in the Parliament or State Legislature from the date of their conviction and further prohibited from seeking an election for a period of six years from the date of their release.

A Public Interest Foundation filed in 2011 petitioned to disqualify people who have affidavits which are false regarding their criminal background or who have manufactured criminal charges against them. Nonetheless, a five-judge panel unanimously agreed that the RP Act could be amended only by the legislature. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is authorized by Section 11 of the RP Act to “remove” or “reduce” the period of disqualification.

The former used its powers to reduce the disqualification period for Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang ECI. He was released from jail in 2018 after completing one year for embezzling funds meant to purchase cows. The head of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha subsequently won the Poklok Kamrang assembly seat in the bye-election. A disqualified MP or MLA can challenge his conviction on the ground of stay of such verdict while his petition is before a higher court.

The Supreme Court pronounced, in 2019, “the disqualification which operates as a consequence of the conviction cannot take or remain in effect” in case of an order of deferment of such order. Former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Dhananjay Singh, convicted of abduction in 2020 by a district court, approached the Allahabad High Court and filed a petition for staying his seven-year sentence to permit him to contest the Lok Sabha election. However, the court refused to put off the judgment, stating, “it is the need of the hour to have purity in politics,” although granting him bail.

“No person shall vote at any election if he is confined in a prison, whether under a sentence of imprisonment or transportation or otherwise, or is in the lawful custody of the police,” reads subclause (5) of Section 62 of the RP Act, on the other hand, which places a number of restrictions on the right to vote. This provision effectively disenfranchises anyone who has been charged with a crime from voting unless they have been granted bail and/or acquitted except those under preventive detention.

A challenge to Section 62(5) was junked by the highest court in the 1997 case of Anukul Chandra Pradhan, Advocate, Supreme Court v. Union of India. It was contended that the rule denies undertrials and those detainees who are remanded for the inability to pay the sum of bail while the same was not applied to those who received bail and hence infringed on the right to equality.

The court dismissed this argument for four reasons. The court restated that voting rights are statutory rights that could be restricted by statutes. It then highlighted that there is a “resource crunch” since police would need to be deployed and infrastructure would need to be provided.

A prisoner then “cannot claim equal freedom of movement, speech, and expression” due to his actions. Last but not least, restrictions on inmates’ right to vote make sense because they are tied to preventing “persons with criminal backgrounds from being present at the election scene.” The judgments were lately cited by the Delhi High Court in the year 2020 and also by the Supreme Court in the year 2023 while rejecting pleas for voting rights for prisoners.

Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader and advocate, had submitted a plea in 2016 for permanent disqualification of the guilty. In November 2023, the apex court ordered the chief justices of all high courts to register a suo motu case titled “In Re: Designated Courts for MPs/MLAs” with regard to the delays in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs. The matter is still under consideration, and the high courts are directed to issue guidelines to deal with such matters in a “expeditious and effective” manner. However, 4,472 such cases are still pending based on a report filed before the court in April 2024.

Threat to national security, law and order

For decades, the separatists opposing India and many criminal elements have taken advantage of the Indian Constitution and democratic processe for their benefit. Former Lok Sabha MP Simranjit Singh Mann is yet another startling example of it. Unfortunately, the issue doesn’t pertain to one or a few parts of the country but have been prevalent in other areas including Kashmir and the Northeast as well. Despite their overtly anti-India statements and criminal backgrounds, these individuals are not precluded from becoming lawmakers. Their participation in Indian polity is also a considerable waste of time and resources mainly because some of these individuals opportunity to participate in parliamentary functions or contribute as public representatives.

It is essential to recognize that this matter is intrinsically linked to the preservation of law and order, as well as the overall safety and security of the nation. When individuals with such egregious criminal backgrounds are elected to Parliament or State Legislature, it is unrealistic to expect that they will enforce laws aimed at ensuring the nation’s safety and security as their presence in such powerful places can only enhance their ability to inflict harm from within and damaging social cohesion and law and order while safeguarding themselves and their kind.

They also utilise the authority to further their ideologies and crimes. This even encourages others who are akin to them. The Babhubali culture and its influence on politics are a testament to this assertion. Gangsters such as Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari exemplify how they exploited legal frameworks to advance their criminal enterprises and communal agendas. Political parties also need to stop catering to them and stop such elements from gaining political power.

It is also essential to emphasize that the polity alone cannot be held accountable for this situation, rather, the electorate must be educated and encouraged to look beyond narrow political interests, personal benefits and favoritism. There is an urgent need for increased education and awareness regarding this issue.

However, the realization of this objective could span decades or even generations. Hence, a preliminary step could involve imposing a law that prohibits such accused from engaging in the electoral process, which would allow for further developments to follow. This matter is of utmost importance and therefore, requires attention with the same level of proactivity and urgency.

Islamist in talks with Pakistani cleric admits stone-pelting on police in Sambhal, justifies violence accusing Hindus and administration of ‘disrespecting’ law

OpIndia Staff
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Islamist in talks with Pakistani cleric admits stone-pelting on police in Sambhal, justifies violence accusing Hindus and administration of ‘disrespecting’ law

In a crucial development, an Islamist from the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh confirmed that the community he pelted stones at the Hindus and police in Sambhal. The attack took place after a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid on the plea of petitioners contending that the disputed site was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Kalki. The Islamist identified as Muhammad Akil while in communication with Pakistan cleric Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza on YouTube live said that it was Friday and the Islamist mob was furious over the claims of a temple beneath the 300-year-old Masjid.

“A survey was conducted of a 300 to 400-year-old Masjid here in Sambhal after the non-Muslims made claims of a temple beneath it. Following this, the Muslims got furious and pelted stones at the administration and the non-Muslims to protect the interest of the site,” he asserted as he furthered to ask whether the Muslims who lost their lives in the scuffle would be termed as ‘martyrs’.

The video of the question was posted by an X handle named ‘Angry Saffron’ who said that Akil confirmed that the stone-pelting was initiated by the Islamists in Sambhal. OpIndia also independently verified the YouTube live video and learned that Md Akil not only confirmed the stone-pelting but also justified the Islamist stone-pelting.

In the video, Akil could be heard saying that the Islamist stone pelting forced the police to initiate firing at the mob which resulted in the death of 3-4 Muslims. He also said that the non-Muslims were illegally claiming ownership of the Masjid and stating that it was a temple. Akil basically justified the stone pelting and said that the acts of Hindus and the local administration irked the Islamists who pelted stones on the former on Friday.

Islamists justified stone-pelting, accused non-Muslims of taking the law into their own hands

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza listened to the question posed by Akil asking whether 3-4 Muslims who died in the violence should be termed as ‘martyrs’. Answering this, Mirza said that every Muslim dying for religion shall be termed a ‘martyr’, however, he said that the Muslims should not take the law into their hands to protect any Islamic site. He said that the community must take the help of the local administration including the police to save the Islamic properties and not harm anyone for the claimed properties.

Responding to this, Akil argued that it was non-Muslims who allegedly took the law into their hands and eyed to encroach a ‘Muslim property’ claiming the presence of a temple beneath it. He said that even the state force was backing the non-Muslims which irked his community, forcing the latter to pelt stones at the administration and the non-Muslims.

What happened on 24th November?

It is crucial to note that on 24th November last year, massive violence erupted in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh after Islamists rioted and pelted stones against the police injuring more than 20 officers. The First Information Reports (FIRs) of this incident revealed how the mob targeted the police. While on one hand, the people associated with the perpetrators played victim, the FIR stated that a group of 700-800 Muslims gathered about 100 meters away from the structure at around 8:45 that morning.

The crowd then began raising slogans before turning violent. The boys also hurled stones at the cops making the police target. The official complaint filed by a sub-inspector posted in Kotwali Nagar, Sambhal added that the mob was determined to drive out the police team that had arrived to survey the contested mosque.

According to the sub-inspector, it was illegal in the district for more than five persons to congregate given the survey of the disputed site was underway. As a result, the police repeatedly advised the people to return home. However, the raging crowd remained unaffected by the appeals and kept pushing the policemen as they moved forward. The culprits continued to abuse the police personnel and threw stones at them during this period. According to the sub-inspector’s accusation, the Muslim radicals were targeting the police as part of a conspiracy that took a violent turn after November 24th.

Sambhal violence: 50 cartridges, 29 tear gas shells looted from police, Muslim mob planned to kill cop; read shocking details in FIR

Violence mastermind has connections to Dawood, 60 arrested

In the latest update to the case, the state police have arrested around 60 Islamists, including 4 women for their involvement in the stone pelting against the administration on 24th November. The police are on the lookout for 89 more accused who are still absconding. It has also been learned that the suspected mastermind of the violence in the given case Sharik Satha, is a member of Dawood Ibrahim’s gang.

Reports suggest that he has over 50 cases registered against him in various states. A few years ago, he reportedly fled to Dubai. Police believe that he not only provided funding for the Sambhal violence that took place on 24th November but also supplied weapons used by his operatives to carry out the attack. The intelligence unit in Sambhal has identified five more suspected terrorists with links to the area. Two key names that have surfaced during the investigation are Shahid Akhtar and Usman Hussain, who are suspected of facilitating the delivery of weapons and funding for the violence.

It is further crucial to note that the non-Muslims did not take the law into their own hands as allegedly claimed by Md Akil. However, it was the Muslims who took the law into their own hands by attacking the local administration and the non-Muslims to protect the contested site.

The Islamists earlier played victim claiming that the police had initiated firing killing and injuring some of the Islamists. Several videos of families of rioters had gone viral over the internet in which they could be seen accusing the administration of allegedly killing their relatives. However, Akil unknowingly in the live video posted a month ago revealed that it was Islamists who initially pelted stones at the police and non-Muslims resulting in defensive firing by the police. (Time frame: 37:00 ahead)

Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal

On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.

However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel, and set ablaze vehicles and shops. More than 20 policemen were injured.

Following this, the Supreme Court of India stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to a plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.

Detailed coverage of the Sambhal violence and the Jama Masjid legal case can be read here.

Maha Kumbh becomes top keyword in Google Trends in Pakistan, Qatar and other Islamic nations

OpIndia Staff
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Maha Kumbh becomes top keyword in Google Trends in Pakistan, Qatar and other Islamic nations

The grand Hindu festival of Maha Kumbh has attracted global attention for its spiritual aura and magnanimity. While the mega event is witnessing an influx of devotees from India and across the world including countries like Brazil, Germany, Japan, England, the United States, and Spain, Maha Kumbh has also piqued the interest of Islamic nations like Pakistan.

In an unusual trend, “Maha Kumbh”, “Maha Kumbh 2025”, “Prayagraj Maha Kumbh”, “Mahakumbh Mela” and similar terms have been among the top Google search keywords in Islamic nations like Pakistan, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain as per Google Trends as per reports.

Besides, the Hindu festival Maha Kumbh has also attracted immense interest among people in Nepal, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Britain, Thailand, and the United States hinting at the grand event’s religious and cultural significance.

Notably, the Kumbh celebrations, renowned for their grandeur and vibrant spirit, take place every four years and are considered among the most significant events. However, this year’s Kumbh celebrations are considered even more important as it signifies the culmination of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles, taking place once every 144 years.

As per Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, the Maha Kumbh that will be observed from January 13 to February 26 will witness 35 crore pilgrims visiting the holy Sangam – the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.

Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah defers caste census report amidst mounting opposition from various communities

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah defers caste census report amidst mounting opposition from various communities

The tabling of the Karnataka Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, also known as the ‘caste census’ before the state cabinet has been deferred by one day. The census was reported to be presented in a state cabinet meeting on January 16. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that the report will now be tabled in a subsequent cabinet meeting.

State Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the state government will analyse the survey report and any decision to be taken based on the report will be the discretion of the government. “It was decided the sealed cover (of the report) will be opened before the cabinet, otherwise it may lead to leakage of information…whether there will be a discussion on it or not, I cannot speak about it now, once opened at least abstract information will be known to us”, Parameshwaram said.

The survey was commissioned by the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015. The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, headed by Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde, completed the survey in 2018. However, the report has not come out since. The commission submitted the survey report to the state government on February 29 last year. Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities of the state have questioned the accuracy of the report and called it unscientific. They demanded a fresh survey to be conducted.

A memorandum was submitted by the Vokkaliga community, which included signatures of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar who is a Vokkaliga, and a couple of other ministers, to the Chief Minister, requesting the report to be rejected. All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, headed by Congress leader and MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, also dismissed the survey report and demanded a fresh survey. The survey report reportedly contains numerical data that may alter the perception regarding the strength of certain communities in the state.

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer launches “Myth vs Facts Register” to combat fake news ahead of Assembly polls

ANI
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Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer launches “Myth vs Facts Register” to combat fake news ahead of Assembly polls

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) launched a “Myth vs Facts Register” on Wednesday to combat fake news and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

With just 3 weeks left for the Delhi Assembly elections, CEO R Alice Vaz aims to provide Delhi voters and media organizations with a resource to counter false narratives and ensure factually correct information is readily available

She called the launch as “recognizing the growing threat of misinformation, disinformation and fake news, especially during Delhi Assembly elections.”

The Myth vs Facts Register, accessible at https://www.ceodelhi.gov.in/mythvsfacts.aspx, serves as one of the resources for Delhi voters and media organizations to counter false narratives and ensure factually correct information is readily available.

According to an official statement released by the Delhi CEO’s office, “any fake news or misleading information circulated on social media platforms during elections will be thoroughly analyzed, verified, and debunked on this portal.”

“This initiative is a significant step towards safeguarding Delhi voters from the harmful effects of fake news. By promoting transparency and accuracy, the Myth vs Facts Register empowers citizens to make informed decisions during the election,” CEO Vaz said.

The initiative’s goal is to bring timely updates on debunked, fake news during election periods, and also have a “trustworthy platform for verifying election-related misinformation, disinformation and fake news.”

As the election approaches, the triangular fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has intensified against each other.

Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister also filed his nomination from the New Delhi seat for the Delhi Assembly Polls.

Kejriwal is in the electoral fray against BJP candidate Parvesh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit. After filing his nomination, Kejriwal asserted that a lot of work is still left to be done in the national capital.

Delhi goes to polling on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already announced its candidates for all 70 assembly seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for 59 seats.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Lazarus Group and WazirX hack: Know how North Korean hackers have been linked to billions in cyber-theft and massive ransomware attacks

Anurag
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Lazarus Group and WazirX hack: Know how North Korean hackers have been linked to billions in cyber-theft and massive ransomware attacks

On 14th January (local time), three countries, the United States, Japan and South Korea, issued a joint statement warning the global blockchain and cryptocurrency industries of targeted attacks by North Korean government supported hackers. In the statement, the largest crypto exchange of India, WazirX, was mentioned, attributing a $235 million hack on the platform to North Korean hackers. The joint statement has linked the breach to the state-sponsored hacking organisation Lazarus Group based in North Korea.

WazirX, which faced severe scrutiny following the breach last year and is currently working with the authorities to recover the funds to pay back the investors, said in a statement that it will not leave any stone unturned to get back its stolen assets.

Nischal Shetty, Founder and CEO of WazirX, took to X and wrote, “Joint statement from the United States, Japan, and South Korea addressing the alarming cyberattacks by DPRK cyber actors, including the WazirX hack. This is a critical moment. We urge swift international action and support to recover the stolen assets. Rest assured, we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of justice.”

Joint statement warns of cyber threats

The three nations have warned the global blockchain and cryptocurrency industries of targeted attacks by North Korea. The statement read, “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) cyber programme threatens our three countries and the broader international community and, in particular, poses a significant threat to the integrity and stability of the international financial system.”

It further outlined the collective efforts of the governments of the three nations to prevent such thefts, recover stolen funds, and deny North Korea illicit revenue. The statement has emphasised that these funds are believed to support North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes.

Widespread cyber-thefts attributed to North Korea

The statement highlighted multiple cyber thefts attributed to North Korea in 2024 alone. It included $308 million from Japan’s DMM Bitcoin, $50 million from South Korea’s Upbit, and $16.13 million from Bahrain-based Rain Management. WazirX, which suffered a breach of nearly 45% of its crypto holdings in July 2024 due to a compromised multisig wallet, was also listed among the victims.

Furthermore, the statement noted a $50-million theft targeting Radiant Capital, further highlighting North Korea’s involvement in a series of high-profile cyberattacks on virtual assets.

Details of the cases mentioned in the joint statement

In December 2024, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA), and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) linked North Korean cyber actors to the theft of $308 million from Bitcoin, an incident that took place in May 2024. The attack was attributed to the TraderTraitor Group. It involved sophisticated social engineering. In March 2024, a North Korean operative posing as a recruiter on LinkedIn lured a Ginco employee into executing malicious Python code. By mid-May, the attackers exploited session cookies to impersonate the compromised employee, gaining access to Ginco’s systems. They later manipulated a legitimate DMM transaction, stealing 4,502.9 BTC. The stolen funds were transferred to wallets controlled by TraderTraitor.

In November 2024, South Korea’s National Police Agency (NPA) identified North Korea as the perpetrator behind a 2019 heist involving 342,000 Ethereum, valued at approximately $435 million at the time. This marked the first instance of South Korean authorities linking a cryptocurrency attack to North Korea. The investigation revealed the involvement of North Korean IP addresses, distinctive virtual asset flow patterns, and specific linguistic traces in communication, all pointing to North Korean actors. Collaborating with the FBI over four years, authorities determined that more than half of the stolen assets had been converted to Bitcoin at discounted rates via suspected North Korean exchange platforms, while the remainder was laundered across 51 foreign exchanges. In October 2024, South Korea successfully reclaimed 4.8 Bitcoin from a Swiss cryptocurrency exchange after demonstrating its connection to the stolen funds. The NPA has pledged to strengthen cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks.

In September 2024, the FBI warned about North Korea’s aggressive social engineering campaigns targeting employees in cryptocurrency, decentralised finance (DeFi), and related industries. Using sophisticated tactics, North Korean actors impersonated recruiters or technology firms, leveraging fake identities and personal details to lure victims. They often initiated prolonged conversations to build trust and deliver malware, aiming to access cryptocurrency assets. Indicators included requests for code execution, unsolicited links, and suspicious investment offers. The FBI advised stringent identity verification, network safeguards, and prompt reporting of suspected incidents to mitigate risks.

In May 2022, the US Government issued an advisory warning about North Korean IT workers infiltrating international freelance and digital payment platforms. These workers reportedly generate revenue for North Korea’s weapons programs by misrepresenting their identities, often posing as foreign or US-based developers. They exploit platforms to secure IT contracts and use privileged access for malicious purposes. The advisory outlined red flag indicators, such as inconsistent profiles, cryptocurrency payments, and frequent logins from varying IP addresses, urging companies to conduct thorough identity verification and background checks to avoid inadvertent hiring.

Similar alerts, advisories and warnings were issued in October 2024, August 2024, May 2024, October 2023, and November 2022.

Measures to counter DPRK’s cyber activities

The United States, Japan, and South Korea reaffirmed their commitment to countering North Korea’s malicious cyber activities. They pledged to enhance collaboration through trilateral working groups, impose sanctions on DPRK cyber actors, and strengthen cybersecurity measures across the Indo-Pacific region. The statement read, “The United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea reaffirm their commitment to combatting cyber threats posed by the DPRK and enhancing their coordination through the trilateral working groups.”

What is Lazarus Group

Lazarus Group is a North Korean state-sponsored cyber threat group active since at least 2009. It is infamous for high-profile attacks, including the 2014 Sony Pictures Entertainment hack, part of Operation Blockbuster. The group’s activities involve sophisticated malware linked to campaigns like Operation Flame, Operation Troy, DarkSeoul, and Ten Days of Rain. Lazarus Group also used the KillDisk tool in a 2017 attack on a Central American casino. The term often broadly encompasses North Korean cyber activities, although some organisations distinguish subgroups like Bluenoroff, APT37, and APT38.

The Sony Pictures hack in November 2014 was a high-profile cyberattack attributed to a group calling itself the Guardians of Peace which was linked to North Korea. The attackers infiltrated Sony’s corporate network, stealing terabytes of private data, erasing originals, and issuing threats to release the stolen information unless their demands were met. Sony’s operations were disrupted for days, forcing employees to resort to manual methods like using whiteboards.

Over the following months, the hackers leaked unreleased films, private conversations, and sensitive employee data to journalists. The attack escalated when the hackers targeted The Interview, a comedy about journalists plotting to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Threats referencing 9/11 were made, pressuring Sony to halt the film’s release. This led then-President Barack Obama to issue a statement, warning that shelving the film due to terrorists’ demands would set a dangerous precedent.

The same Lazarus Group was also reported to be behind a massive operation to steal 1 billion dollars from the Central bank in Bangladesh. They had exploited the vulnerabilities in the global inter-bank payment system, combined with the weekends and holidays across New york, Bangladesh and Manila to divert the stolen funds to obscure accounts and entities carefully planted across the world. The Group managed to siphon away $81 million before a spelling error in one of the transfer requests halted the operation. The seed for the heist was planted in a similar way, an innocuous email of a job seeker sending his resume to bank employees, carefully concealing malware.

Much has been said and written about the Lazarus Group. It is believed that talented students who do well in maths are picked up as young as 12-years-old in North Korea, and are then sent to the capital city of Pyongyang to be trained as hackers. An individual named Park Jin-hyok alias Park Kwang Jin, a former computer programer who worked in the Chinese port city of Dalian, is said to be the leader of the group. He faces multiple criminal charges and around 20 years in prison if the FBI ever manages to find him.

The heist had almost become successful, because the hackers were so careful that there was no way to stop the money transactions from Bangladesh Central bank’s reserve in new York to a set up account in Manila’s RCBC Bank. It was only a minor coincidence that stopped the transaction. The address of the RCBC Bank in Manila had the word ‘Jupiter Street. Jupiter was also the name of a sanctioned Italian ship that was red flagged by the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. So the system in New York had halted most of the money transfer requests, saving almost $950 million for the government of Bangladesh. The $81 million that was already lost was never recovered, except for a few million through various lawsuits.

Rahul Gandhi declares war against India, says ‘we are fighting Indian state itself’ while attacking BJP and RSS

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi declares war against India, says ‘we are fighting Indian state itself’ while attacking BJP and RSS

On Tuesday, 14th January, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blatantly attacked the ruling BJP party and RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) accusing them of capturing almost every national institution. Gandhi stated that the Congress party was not fighting against the BJP and the RSS, but was fighting against the Indian state itself.

“Do not think we are fighting a fair fight. If you believe we are fighting against a political organization called BJP and RSS, they have captured almost every institution in our country. We are now fighting not just the BJP and RSS, but the Indian state itself,” Gandhi said while addressing the party members on the occasion of the inauguration of the new AICC HQ in New Delhi.

He further showed distrust in the recently happened Maharashtra state assembly elections saying that “something went wrong in the Maharashtra elections.”

“We are uncomfortable with the way the Election Commission operates. The sudden appearance of almost one crore new voters between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra is problematic. It is the Election Commission’s duty to provide a voters’ list with the names and addresses of those who voted in the Vidhan Sabha election. However, the Election Commission has refused to provide this information,” he alleged.

Further, he stated that every congressman must keep in mind that the election system in India operates in a very non-favorable manner to the party. “There is a serious problem with our election system, and it is the Election Commission’s duty to be transparent,” he claimed.

“Why would the Election Commission refuse to make the voters’ list transparent? What purpose does it serve by not providing us with the list, and why are they withholding it? It is the Election Commission’s duty to provide transparency, and it is their sacred responsibility to explain why this has happened,” he added.

He also slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for allegedly saying that India didn’t gain true independence in 1947. “Mohan Bhagwat’s audacious comment that India didn’t gain true independence in 1947 is an insult to our freedom fighters, every single Indian citizen, and an attack on our Constitution,” Gandhi said.

He called RSS ‘a shady hidden organization’ and said that the ruling party wants just one man to rule over the nation. “It is the fight between our idea and the RSS’s idea. Our idea says India is a union of states. I saw in the building [Indira Bhawan] that all Indian languages are displayed. It shows there is no superior language and no superior culture,” he was quoted as saying.

He also alleged that Bhagwat attacked the Constitution. “Every day, they are attacking the ideas we believe in. The BJP and the RSS have captured every institution. We are fighting BJP, RSS, and the Indian state itself,” he said.

It is crucial to note that Bhagwat’s comments made in Indore were widely misinterpreted. On January 14th, at an event in Indore, he said that India got true independence after the Ram Mandir was consecrated.

“After India got political independence from the British on August 15, 1947, a written Constitution was made according to the path shown by that specific vision, which comes out of the ‘self’ of the country, but the document was not run according to the spirit of the vision at that time,” he said.

Controversy erupted after his comments were misconstrued. One of the RSS functionaries confirmed to the media that “Bhagwat referred to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir as a day of “Swa Ka Jagaran” (self-awakening) and “Pratistha Dwadashi” (symbolizing the establishment of sovereignty), not as a comparison to Independence Day.”

“The speech was in contention of Bhagwat ji’s idea of Bharat’s awakening. Ayodhyay was invaded, and our ancient culture and tradition, our temples, were destroyed. The act of invasion affected Bharat’s pride, dignity, and vitality. Reclaiming our land and establishing the Ram temple there is akin to the re-establishment of Ram Rajya. This is about Bharat’s awakening; it is also about reclaiming our pride. That is why he called the day Pratistha Dwadashi,” the RSS functionary said.

Notably, this is not the first time when Rahul Gandhi has attacked the BJP and RSS over the election. Congress has in the past attacked the election commission and its poll process several times after losing particularly slated elections. For instance, during the Lok Sabha elections, he claimed that the Election Commission did what it had to do to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for the third time.

“The Election Commission was doing what they wanted. The entire campaign was structured so that Modi could carry out his agenda across the country, with different designs for different states,” he said healing Congress for fighting elections with alleged frozen bank accounts.

In December 2024 also, he claimed that there was a big change in the voter list in Maharashtra amid the polls and that the EC was not providing any information on it. However, the INDI Alliance won elections in Jharkhand during the same time and suddenly found no fault in the poll system.

In 2023, he was issued notice by the ECI for making derogatory comments against PM Narendra Modi, including his ‘Panauti’ comment blaming Modi for India’s defeat to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final. The notice was issued based on complaints by the BJP leaders. The poll panel further also cited Supreme Court orders asking politicians not to use derogatory and abusive language against opponents.

In 2019, Gandhi had again blamed the ECI for acting biased in favor of the BJP. Rahul Gandhi said that the election commission had cowered to the pressures put by the Narendra Modi government and had become biased against the opposition.

Reportedly, Gandhi has always had issues with the EVMs and the election process in India. Interestingly, the fake issues against ECI are only raised by the party after it has faced defeats in the elections. In the given case also, Gandhi is showing major distrust in ECI after brutally losing the Maharashtra elections. However, ECI or EVMs are not blamed by the party in the case of the Jharkhand elections where the BJP lost. Further, had INDI Alliance won the elections even in Maharashtra, the Congress certainly wouldn’t have questioned the poll system and the ECI.

No Bhog, no Puja offered at Lingaraj Temple in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar for 3 days: Know what is the issue and why Makar Sankranti rituals were stalled

OpIndia Staff
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No Bhog, no Puja offered at Lingaraj Temple in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar for 3 days: Know what is the issue and why Makar Sankranti rituals were stalled

Following a scuffle between two groups of servitors, Bhog has not been offered to the deity in the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha since Monday. As per reports, there is a disagreement between Badu Nijog and Mahasuara Nijog servitors over Makar Sankranti rituals. All the temple rituals, including bhog, have been disrupted due to the disagreement.

During Makar Sankranti, special rituals are observed in the Lingaraj temple for three days. The rituals begin on the eve of Makar Sankranti with ‘Pushyabhisheka Sandhya Dhupa’ ritual. This involves bringing the deity outside of the sanctum sanctorum and seating him atop the ‘Makara Mandap’ located within the premises of the Lingaraj temple. On the day of Makar Sankranti, ‘Makara Ghee’ or ‘Ghruta Kamala’ is offered to the deity in a ritual called ‘Ghruta Kamala Lagi’. It is prepared using milk collected from some specific ‘Samantra’ households of Badu Sahi. It is believed that the ‘Ghruta Kamala’ is applied to relieve the diety of winter dryness.

According to reports, the milk is boiled and churned by Badu Nijog to prepare the ghee and the Ghruta Kamala is offered both by Badu Nijog and Mahasuara Nijog servitors. On Monday, the Badu Nijog servitors insisted on performing the ritual of offering the Ghruta Kamala alone without the participation of Mahasuara servitors. The latter protested against it. As a consequence, the Ghruta Kamala could not be offered after the ‘Pushyabhisheka Sandhya Dhupa’ and the deity has been kept seated on the Makara Mandap for two days now. The temple is open for devotees but the rituals are suspended.

“We have been doing this ritual every year and even the temple administration is aware of it. In fact, the ghee after application to the Lord, is distributed among Badu Nijog families. If Mahasuara Nijog members, who run the sacred kitchen, claim ownership over the ritual just because the ghee is cooked, that cannot be allowed”, a Badu Nijog servitor said.

The temple administration has been trying to pacify the dispute but neither party is ready to compromise on their stand. Speaking about the Ghruta Kamala ritual, Biranchi Narayan, secretary of Brahmana Nijog, said that the first round of Ghruta Kamala Lagi is performed by Mahasuara servitors and then Badu servitors take over. “We are not aware why they protested this time”, he added.

A high-level meeting was reportedly held in which Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Debottar commissioner, Khurda collector, Secretary of Law department, local MLA, and the servitors of Badu Nijogas were present. However, the meeting ended without a conclusion. The meeting will be held again later today in the presence of the ‘Brahmana Nijogs’ as they were absent during the high-level meeting.

The law minister also announced an investigation into the matter and said that the state govt is contemplating appointing a single-member Commission headed by a retired High Court judge. He said that an emergency meeting of the Trust Board will be held this afternoon where servitors will be requested to resume the rituals.

The Law Minister has issued a stern warning to the involved parties, indicating that strict measures may be enforced if the dispute is not resolved soon. “This is highly condemnable. If there was indeed any problem, they could have just sat together and come up with a resolution. Just stopping the rituals of Lord Lingaraj is highly condemnable,” Law Minister Harichandan said.

The stalemate has created anger among devotees who have condemned both groups and demanded action against them. One angry devotee said, “Lord Lingaraj has been in hunger for the last three days. It is because of the sevayats that Lord Lingaraj has to remain empty stomach. This is highly condemnable. I call upon the administration to take stringent action in this connection.” 

Muslim woman with Hindu Aadhar Card arrested for ‘sextortion’ in Shajapur: Used to trap rich men and record videos

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim woman with Hindu Aadhar Card arrested for ‘sextortion’ in Shajapur: Used to trap rich men and record videos

The female leader of a honey trap gang was taken into custody by Shajapur police on 14th Januray in Madhya Pradesh. The accused, Ranu Mansuri, reportedly shot a pornographic video of a young man after calling him to a hotel under the guise of a birthday celebration and then giving him drugs.

The victim was told to come to the Pushp Kamal Hotel by Mansuri on 4th January. An individual then threatened the victim over WhatsApp and phone after making the video and demanded money. The search is ongoing for another gang member who is yet to be apprehended.

The victim was warned that the video would be made viral if the amount was not paid. According to Santosh Vaghela, in-charge of the Kotwali police station, victim filed a complaint about it on 9th January. On the basis of an informer’s inputs, police nabbed her from her Berchha home on 13th January. She had fled after the case was filed against her.

According to the complaint, the Ranu Mansuri has been calling the complainant relentlessly since 25th December in the name of important work. She directed him to meet her near a college first and then in a hotel to talk privately where she claimed that it was her birthday and drugged him before capturing the explicit video.

The victim was then threatened with blackmail and told that he would be defamed if the video was posted online. He went to the police station and informed the Kotwali police about the situation out of fear of humiliation which led to the registration of FIR (First Information Report) under BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) sections 308(2) and 61(1) and the beginning of an inquiry.

Police have also recovered fake Aadhar Card from her. Notably, other similar cases related to her are likely to be unearthed during interrogation. A check for Rs 3 lakhs along with a bogus Aadhar Card featuring the picture of the perpetrator with her name written as Madhu, daughter of Dinesh Agarwal, who lived in Indore’s Manglia were discovered by the authorities during the search.

However, Mansuri disclosed her real name to the police during interrogation and informed that was she was 26-year-old Ranu, daughter of Shakoor Khan and resident of Berchha. Moreover, the offender added that her partner Inder Gurjar of Sultanpura used to hunt for rich people. She would then trap them and make obscene videos. Afterward, he would blackmail them and ask for lakhs of rupees. The cops are currently searching for him.

In her memorandum, Ranu Mansuri shared the cell phone used in the crime, nine other cell phones employed for similar crimes, two lakh rupees, and a covert webcam. The mobile number used in the crime will be used to get CDR (Call Detail Record), which will be used to look for more victims and accused parties in the case.

Vidya Kumbh: How Yogi Adityanath govt is fulfilling the educational aspirations of children of sanitation workers in Maha Kumbh 2025

Jinit Jain
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Vidya Kumbh: How Yogi Adityanath govt is fulfilling the educational aspirations of children of sanitation workers in Maha Kumbh 2025

As crores of Hindu devotees congregate at the Sangam in Prayagraj to take a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh 2025, the incumbent Yogi Adityanath’s social welfare and educational empowerment initiative focused on inclusive and equitable access to education for underprivileged children is receiving praise from several quarters.

The Yogi Adityanath administration has set up 5 Vidya Kumbhs at the Maha Kumbh, to provide thousands of children of sanitation workers with primary education with world-class facilities. The initiative only intends to close the education gap for children of sanitation workers by offering free primary education, necessary resources, and certification to ensure every child has access to learning opportunities. According to the government, the program goes beyond education— uplifting families, empowering communities, and building a brighter future for all.

On 13th January, the Mahakumbh 2025 commenced in the holy city of Prayagraj, marking a spiritual celebration for millions of Hindus worldwide. This festival stands as a testament to faith and the vitality of ancient traditions, with roots as old as time itself. Crores of devouts have already taken a dip at the sacred congregational affair, deemed by experts as the largest gathering of humanity on earth. With crores more expected to arrive at the 45-day spiritual gathering, including from people out of India, the UP government has employed thousands of sanitation workers to keep the Sangam clean and tidy.

With thousands of sanitation workers employed for the mammoth Maha Kumbh 2025, the UP government has set up five primary schools, including Vidya Kumbh Primary schools and others in Sectors 1, 2, 7, 10, and 13, enrolling thousands of students—children of those workers who often missed their schools because of their parents’ demanding work requirements.

A wholesome video of sanitation workers’ children studying in one such Vidya Kumbh, primed with modern facilities and qualified teachers, is doing the rounds on the internet. It underlines the efforts undertaken by the Yogi Adityanath government to ensure the organisation of Maha Kumbh 2025 does not in any way hinder the educational aspirations of these children.

Digital classrooms, educational kits, and playful learnings at these Vidya Kumbhs provide children with an engaging atmosphere and holistic learning experience at par with any modern private school. Students receive free supplies under the ‘Umang Kit’ and additional resources through ‘Gyan Ka Pitara.’

Playgrounds and mid-day meal dining areas have been established. Thousands of children, from nursery to grade 5, already benefit from interactive learning through digital tools, audio-visual content, and games. Special game-based teaching methods are designed to foster a love for learning, especially for younger children in nursery classes.

According to government authorities, primary schools launched in the fair area to educate children from nursery to grade 5 from underprivileged families who cannot afford costly schooling are taught free of charge using digital and smart classrooms. Besides, free uniforms, books, and shoes are offered to students who enrol on such Vidya Kumbhs. These educational centres are managed by government-appointed teachers.

In a report published in December 2024, the Hindustan Times spoke to an officer on Special Duty for the Kumbh Mela Authority, who expounded on the government’s plans for the expansion of the schools for children. Akanksha Rana, the officer, said the government’s goal is to expand schools across 25 sectors to ensure children of sanitation workers, maintain cleanliness for millions of pilgrims, do not miss school.

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