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Kutch: Ziyad introduces himself as Jigar to minor Dalit girl, rapes and assaults her; accused was in contact with 28 non-Muslim girls

OpIndia Staff
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Kutch: Ziyad introduces himself as Jigar to minor Dalit girl, rapes and assaults her; accused was in contact with 28 non-Muslim girls

A case of love jihad recently came to light from a village in Mandvi taluka of Kutch district in Gujarat. A Dalit girl has filed a complaint against a man named Ziyad who is from Pune, Maharashtra, after which he was taken into custody by the Gujarat Police and was subsequently sent to a three-day remand by the court.

Now, the authorities have made several shocking disclosures regarding the matter. They stated that the accused Ziyad was in contact with 28 girls through social media, out of whom 22 were Hindu while 6 belonged to the Christian community.

The incident is at present viewed as a specially hatched conspiracy. The cops mentioned that Ziyad first used to trap girls and then forced them to embrace Islam. These revelations were made during the offender’s remand, which pointed towards a systematic and well-planned plot of love jihad.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) MJ Christian, who is looking into the matter, shared that 28 girls were messaged “Hi” and 22 of them were Hindus while the others were Christians. The details found on the mobile phone of the perpetrator were shocking. It also came to the fore that three more culprits were involved in the conspiracy apart from Ziyad. Currently, further investigation is underway.

The background of the matter

According to the complaint lodged at the police station, the victim moved to Mumbai from her native Kutch with her family, three years ago. Meanwhile, Ziyad created a fake ID with the name Jigar on an online gaming platform and introduced himself to her. Afterwards, she was assaulted and raped twice. She was a minor at the time.

The complainant then asked Ziyad to marry her when he revealed his true identity and told her that he was a Muslim. She snapped ties with him just as she learned about his deceit, however, he continued to harass her to convert and wed him.

The victim grew tired of his actions and went to her hometown along with her family for two years. A few months ago, the girl got engaged to a young man from her own community, which infuriated Ziyad, who released her obscene photographs on social media. The victim eventually went to the authorities and lodged a complaint against Ziyad in Bhuj Cyber ​​Crime.

The police have filed a complaint against him under Section 4 of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, and Sections 4, 6, and 10 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act since he sexually violated the girl when she was a minor. Furthermore, Sections 376(2)(n), 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and as well as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked because she is from the Dalit community.

Demolition of illegal Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla halted as Mosque committee says they have no money, Himachal Minister Aniruddh Singh comes forward to help

OpIndia Staff
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Demolition of illegal Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla halted as Mosque committee says they have no money, Himachal Minister Aniruddh Singh comes forward to help

On October 5 this year, a Shimla Court had ordered the demolition of top three illegal floors of the Sanjauli Mosque in Himachal Pradesh. The Municipal Commissioner Court in Shimla ordered the demolition of illegally built floors of the Sanjauli Mosque. The Court gave two months to the Masjid committee and Waqf Board to complete the demolition process.

The demolition process started on Monday, October 21, after getting a nod from Waqf Board. The Court had ordered that mosque committee and Waqf Board will bear the cost of the demolition of the illegal portion. However, now the mosque committee is saying that they don’t have money to demolish the illegal structure.

President of the Sanjauli Mosque Committee, Mohammad Latif said that everyone comes forward to build a mosque but no one is willing to fund its demolition.

As per Latif, demolition work will not be carried out till funds are secured for the illegal mosque’s demolition. Notably, Mohammad Latif’s statement comes on the day when demolition work started on the illegal mosque. However, Latif said that the contract was awarded only for the removal of the tin roof, and not the concrete structure itself.

Meanwhile, Devbhoomi Struggle Committee, which has been fighting against this illegal mosque, said that despite court order to remove this illegal structure, there are attempts to bypass court orders.

In the mean time, State Cabinet Minister Aniruddh Singh has said that he is ready to provide financial assistance if the mosque committee doesn’t have funds to demolish the illegal structure. He has said that he will help if the mosque committee approaches him.

Hindus, run away or you will be shot: While Bahraich police calls claims of announcements from mosque as ‘misleading’, same claim repeated by a disabled eyewitness

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Hindus, run away or you will be shot: While Bahraich police calls claims of announcements from mosque as ‘misleading’, same claim repeated by a disabled eyewitness

On 13th October 2024, a Durga Visarjan procession was attacked in Maharajganj, Bahraich. During the attack, Ram Gopal Mishra was killed. 70-year-old Vinod Mishra and Divyang Satyavan Mishra are among the victims who suffered serious injuries in this attack.

Vinod Mishra, an eyewitness to this attack, said that the Muslim mob attacked Hindu devotees after being incited from the mosque. The Bahraich police had termed his claim on social media as ‘misleading’. Now a similar claim has been made by Divyang Satyavan.

Speaking to OpIndia, Satyavan said that on that day, announcement was made from the mosque that, “Wherever you find a Hindu, kill him there.”

Satyavan said that after this announcement, a mob of Muslims attacked the Hindu devotees present in front of Abdul Hameed’s house. He also says that people involved in the Islamist mob were saying, “Hey Hindus, run away from here or else I will shoot you.”

The Islamic mob also attacked handicapped Satyavan

Satyavan Mishra is physically more than 80% disabled since birth. OpIndia reached Satyavan Mishra’s house and spoke to him. Satyavan is disabled in both legs and one hand since childhood. He moves on a wheel chair. He cannot even drive the wheel chair for a long distance because the only hand working to drive it gets tired very soon. On the day of the incident, Satyavan Mishra was sitting in a trolley near the same idol in the procession of Maa Durga, which was targeted during stone pelting by the rioters. He was applying tilak to the devotees by distributing prasad with his one working hand.

Satyavan is still trembling with fear

When the OpIndia team reached Satyavan’s village, he was found lying on a cot outside his house. Satyavan Mishra had deep wounds on his face. His body was shaking while talking about the incident. Fear could be clearly seen in his eyes. Satyavan, who was injured by a sharp weapon below his lips, was not even able to speak. He started crying while remembering the violence. He showed us his back which had turned black.

After a while, Satyavan, while regaining his composure, told us that he has been distributing prasad and applying tilak to the devotees during the immersion procession of Maa Durga for the last 25 years. He says that on the day of the violence, the DJ with his trolley was stopped at Abdul Hameed’s house. Abdul’s son Sarfaraz was hell-bent on stopping the DJ while he was abusing everyone else. When the devotees refused, Sarfaraz ripped off the DJ’s wire. As soon as Hindus protested against this, stones started raining from Abdul Hameed’s house.

Had Abdul Hameed accepted his son’s mistake, there would have been no dispute

Satyavan Mishra further tells us that the hand of the statue of Maa Durga was broken during stone pelting. After this, people of Hindu community sat on a dharna and started demanding action against Sarfaraz. In this chaos, Abdul Hameed also came out. The elders among the devotees were demanding that Abdul Hameed should accept his son’s mistake and rebuke him. However, Abdul Hameed did not agree to this. On the contrary, he kept justifying his son’s violent act.

Satyavan further tells us that when Abdul justified the attack on Maa Durga idol, the devotees of Maa Durga sat on a dharna on the road and asked the police to arrest Sarfaraz. The police were not ready to arrest Sarfaraz. Following this, some devotees involved in the immersion yatra got furious, including Ram Gopal Mishra. They reached the roof of Abdul Hameed’s house and took out a green flag and waved a saffron flag.

Both legs handicapped, Satyavan could not even run

Satyavan further tells that a mob of Muslims reached his trolley during the riot. By then, all his companions present in the trolley had fled. Satyavan with his disabled legs tried to move but couldn’t, then about half a dozen attackers climbed the trolley and beat him badly with sticks. Satyavan suffered injuries on his head and back. Satyavan’s face was attacked with a sharp weapon.

According to Satyavan, he bled a lot and gradually he became unconscious. Kallu’s son Lallu and Munna Kabadi etc. were among those who attacked him. It is said that the attackers had swords, knives and guns etc. Satyavan doesn’t even know who picked him up from the spot and took him to the hospital. His condition was very serious in the hospital. Finally, after being referred to Lucknow, Satyavan’s life was somehow saved in the trauma center there. Satyavan finally said, “We are Hindus. We were killed because we are Hindus.”

OpIndia has access to a video of Satyavan Mishra being loaded into a government ambulance and taken to a hospital. Satyavan’s face is covered in blood in the video. There is a large cut mark below his lips. Satyavan has expressed hope that the Uttar Pradesh government will take strict action not only against the attacking Islamic fundamentalists but also against the guilty policemen.

Hyderabad: Tensions erupt after Islamists raise ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans against a Hindu youth over charges of ‘blasphemy’

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad: Tensions erupt after Islamists raise ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans against a Hindu youth over charges of ‘blasphemy’

On Sunday, 20th October, tensions erupted in the Rein Bazaar area of Hyderabad when a large mob of Islamists gathered to protest against a local youth, accusing him of blasphemy. The mob of Islamists was angered over an Instagram post that they claimed was offensive to Prophet Mohammad. The mob demanded action against the youth and raised slogans of “Sar Tan Se Juda.” The protests began at midnight and continued until the early hours, leading to unrest in the area.

According to a report by Organizer, the incident took place after a 20-year-old hotel employee from the Rein Bazaar jurisdiction shared an Instagram post that allegedly offended the Muslim community. Within hours, a large mob of Islamists took to the streets and raised slogans of “Sar Tan Se Juda” against the young man. For those unaware, the “Sar Tan Se Juda” slogans, popularised by hardcore Islamists, call for the beheading of the person accused of “blasphemy.”

The situation worsened as reports surfaced that over 60 people attacked a family near the Mahankali Pochamma Temple in Brahmanwadi, Yakutpura. The mob issued death threats, which heightened tensions near the temple. Notably, Rein Bazaar police station was in close proximity to the spot where the incident happened. However, the locals expressed their frustration over police inaction in the matter.

Eyewitnesses further alleged that instead of addressing the tension, the police instructed the temple community to vacate the premises and remain silent. No official statement has been issued by the police regarding the threats or why no strict action was taken to defuse the situation.

Series of similar incidents across the country

In recent months, several such incidents where Islamist mobs raised slogans of “Sar Tan Se Juda” have been reported across the country including the recent incident in Hyderabad, in response to perceived insults to Islam. On 19th October, an Islamist mob took to the streets of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and chanted the slogan following rumours of blasphemy against a Hindu man. As per reports, they were angered over an objectionable comment about Prophet Mohammad. The mob surrounded the local police station and demanded action. The accused was arrested by the police, and the authorities claimed the situation was under control.

On 16th September, similar slogans were raised by a Muslim mob during a Barawafat procession in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, near a Hindu Temple. A video of the incident went viral. The incident took place in front of the Bharatbhari Temple, leading to an immediate investigation by the Siddharthnagar police.

A similar incident occurred on 29th September following remarks by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, head priest (Mahant) of Dasna Temple, during a public event. The mob, angered by his remarks, raised “Sar Tan Se Juda” slogans. Similar mobs protested and raised slogans against Narsinghanand at several locations across the country for days.

In October, a heated exchange between a 14-year-old Hindu boy and a Muslim boy on social media escalated into a major incident. A video of Salman Azhari, known for insulting Hindus, was shared by the Muslim boy during the argument. In response, the Hindu boy retaliated with comments that were deemed objectionable by the Muslim boy. He shared screenshots on social media, and the Hindu boy was accused of blasphemy. After that, over 1,000 Islamists gathered outside his house and raised “Sar Tan Se Juda” slogans. A police officer was also assaulted during the incident, leading to multiple FIRs being registered against the mob.

The Wire and its obsession with SFJ terrorist Gurpwatwant Pannun: How the rag insists the Khalistani terrorist threatening India and Hindus is an ‘activist’

Anurag
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The Wire and its obsession with SFJ terrorist Gurpwatwant Pannun: How the rag insists the Khalistani terrorist threatening India and Hindus is an ‘activist’

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an infamous Khalistani terrorist who has dual citizenship of the United States and Canada, has become the latest favourite of propaganda news portals like The Wire. Despite being designated as a terrorist by the Government of India, Pannun enjoys the label of being a Sikh activist, thanks to The Wire. The news portal, which is known for some of the biggest blunders in journalism’s history, including the “Meta-Wire Saga” and the fake reporting on “Tek Fog,” insists that the Khalistani terrorist, who day in and day out threatens India and Hindus, is an ‘activist.’

OpIndia examined multiple reports published by The Wire regarding the activities of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and noticed that they have developed a love-like attitude towards the terrorist. The Wire’s reporters attempt to water down Pannun’s crimes by merely calling him an activist who, well, only wants to create a separate nation by breaking India—nothing big, right? The phenomenon was mentioned by several social media users on X. Vijay Patel, an investigative reporter, shared a screenshot of The Wire’s report and wrote, “So, according to the Wire, terrorist Pannun is an ‘activist.’ You must not be surprised because Siddharth Varadrajan, the owner of this propaganda website, is a US citizen, and her mother-in-law, Puspa Sunder, was an officer with the CIA-affiliated Ford Foundation.”

Famous X user BefittingFacts wrote, “According to The Wire, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who just threatened to blow up Air India flights is ‘Sikh Activist’.”

Interestingly, when we checked the said report, “activist” magically became “separatist”. Only The Wire can explain how and why this magic happened.

Source: The Wire

Here are a few of such reports by The Wire, where Pannun became a beloved Sikh/Khalistani activist, US Citizen and what not.

On 1st May, an op-ed written by Siddharth Varadarajan described India as “banana republic”. In the same op-ed, he described Pannun as “Khalistani campaigner Gurpatwant Singh Pannun”.

Source: The Wire

On 17th June 2024, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was described as a “Sikh Lawyer” in a report by The Wire.

Source: The Wire.

In a post on X on 30th November 2023, Pannun was called a “Khalistani Activist”.

Source: The Wire/X

When we checked the report, he was mentioned as a “US citizen who runs a pro-Khalistani organisation” and his “organisation” that is “Sikhs for Justice” was called an “NGO in the US”. Pannun is a designated terrorist and SFJ is a terrorist organisation. But, anyway.

Source: The Wire

In the same report, Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was a Canadian, was described as a “Khalistani Activist”.

Source: The Wire

We found multiple reports where he was being mentioned as a pro-Khalistan activist that can be checked here and here. In one of the reports, that can be checked here, he was called an “American National”. In the same report, Pannun and Nijjar were also mentioned as pro-Khalistan activists.

Source: The Wire.

Interestingly, The Wire is not the only news portal that is in “love” with Pannun. In an 18th October report, Al Jazeera referred to Pannun as an “American Citizen” and “Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.”

Source: Al Jazeera

In a 22nd December 2023 report, the BBC called him an “American Citizen who advocates for Khalistan.” The report did mention that he has been designated a terrorist by India, but it seemed more like a taunt rather than taking India’s stance seriously. The report stated, “Delhi has made no bones about its dislike for the Sikh separatist—a man they designated a terrorist in 2020.”

Source: BBC

Romanticising terrorism needs to stop

It is both disturbing and revealing that news portals like The Wire, BBC, and Al Jazeera have categorically failed to call Gurpatwant Singh Pannun a terrorist, which is an undeniable fact. Pannun has been involved in many anti-India activities, including threatening India and Hindus. He has played a vital role in the current Khalistani movement. His so-called referendum, where he is seeking votes to carve out Khalistan from India, is not a benign political campaign. It is part of a broader strategy of violence and secession. He often propagates violence against India and provokes young Sikhs to engage in violent activities against Indian officials, both in India and abroad.

Yet, despite his designation as a terrorist by the Government of India, these portals continue to soften his image and refer to him as an “activist,” “campaigner,” and even just a “Sikh lawyer.” This is a deliberate attempt to water down Pannun’s violent agenda, which cannot be considered merely journalistic negligence. It is, in fact, an alarming example of how propaganda-driven news can be used to distort public perception.

The Wire and other portals have failed to report Pannun’s history of extremism accurately and often dilute it. These media outlets are providing him with a shield and legitimising his dangerous activities in the eyes of their readers. The Wire, in particular, has repeatedly referred to him in softened terms and brushed aside his terrorist designation with vanilla words. Framing him as a mere “pro-Khalistani activist” does not do justice to his numerous threats directed at India, Indian officials, and Hindus. In doing so, they ignore the very real threats he has issued against Indian institutions and citizens.

Al Jazeera and BBC are no different. These are international portals that claim to be journalistic masterpieces. They have the potential to command a global audience. However, in their irresponsible reporting, they downplayed Pannun’s extremist role, referring to him merely as a “Sikh American activist” or “campaigner.” While they did mention his terrorist status, it was almost as an afterthought. They framed Pannun’s portrayal as a terrorist as if it were a subjective label placed by the Indian government rather than a legal designation rooted in his long-standing promotion of violence and separatism.

The pattern of these news portals painting a positive picture of terrorists is not limited to Pannun. From Osama Bin Laden to Burhan Wani, for some reason, they find ways to make it “let’s make him a hero for our audience.” Terrorism is a termite mound that is eating this world rapidly. It is high time these portals get their act together and stick to the basics of journalism—that is, present the news without any bias. Romanticising terrorism needs to stop—right here, right now.

GST Scam Case involving “The Hindu” ‘Journalist’ Mahesh Langa: Gujarat Police raids Maritime Board’s office, finds data of private ports leaked

OpIndia Staff
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GST Scam Case involving “The Hindu” ‘Journalist’ Mahesh Langa: Gujarat Police raids Maritime Board’s office, finds data of private ports leaked

Days after The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa and others were arrested in the GST Scam case, the Gujarat Police conducted raids at the Maritime Board office at Gandhinagar, Gujarat’s capital. During the probe by Gandhinagar Police, it emerged that the data of some ports was leaked from the Maritime Board office.

Six teams of Gandhinagar Police are conducting searches at the Maritime Board office and examining the documents after checking the phones of the accused persons, including The Hindu ‘journalist’ Mahesh Langa. It has been reported that that some officers working in the office of the Maritime Board were in touch with the accused and crucial data of private ports was leaked by them.

After the investigation, more arrests are expected in this case in addition to several Maritime Board officers being questioned. It is also likely that the police will seize computer hard drives from the Maritime Board’s office and analyse them.

As reported earlier, some government employees and police officers connected to ‘journalist’ Mahesh Langa of The Hindu were worried following his arrest in the GST scam case due to their involvement with the alleged journalist. Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also got involved in the probe of the multi-crore scandal and the agency is still in the early stages of its investigation.

Mahesh Langa’s connection has also emerged with some government IAS-IPS officers, who used to pass him some sensitive information, which Langa used to deliver to opposition parties and some industrial groups. On 14th October, officials were shocked to learn that Ahmedabad police commissioner G S Malik had personally questioned Langa a day earlier.

Earlier, on 17th October, the ED searched several cities in Gujarat as part of the investigation in the case. According to reports, the raids occurred at roughly 23 locations in the cities of Rajkot, Junagadh, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, and Veraval following the filing of a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

After receiving a complaint from the Central GST regarding the scam involving shell companies set up to defraud the government through fictitious input tax credits and fraudulent transactions, the Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch filed the FIR in the case against a number of individuals and entities.

Over 33 individuals involved in running 12 bogus firms were arrested. In connection with this Rs 200 crore GST scam, the Crime Branch arrested The Hindu ‘journalist’ Mahesh Langa. The police also noted the alleged involvement of Langa’s family in this scam and seized Rs 20 lakh in cash and unaccounted gold from their possession.

Indian Air Force signs MoU with Uber: Security concerns, data breaches faced by the ride-sharing app and a lesson from Strava

OpIndia Staff
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Indian Air Force signs MoU with Uber: Security concerns, data breaches faced by the ride-sharing app and a lesson from Strava

On Thursday (17 Oct), the Indian Air Force (IAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ride-sharing app Uber to offer exclusive benefits to serving Air Force personnel, veterans and families.

The development was confirmed by the IAF on X (formerly Twitter). The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal Updesh Sharma and Abhinav Mittoo, the senior country General Manager of Uber, to facilitate travel of Air Force personnel and their families.

“The collaboration with Uber represents an important step in the journey towards enhanced mobility solutions for Air Force personnel and families,” the IAF said in an official statement.

At the same time, Uber stated, “We are proud to partner with the Indian Air Force to enhance mobility solutions… This partnership marks a significant step towards digitalisation by adopting shared mobility solutions. Through this MoU, we aim to support the Indian Air Force’s broader vision of leveraging technology for transformative progress”

The IAF is reportedly going to use the ride-sharing app’s tailored enterprise version to facilitate official travel and daily commutes of serving personnel, veterans and their families.

It remains unclear at this point whether the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Uber and the Indian Air Force is legally enforceable in a court of law.

MoU sparks concerns of the public, veterans and experts alike

The MoU has raised concerns about possible compromise of data, location tracking risks, and sharing and access of sensitive information by third-party apps.

Lieutenant General (retd) Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon cautioned, “Someone needs to have a serious relook here…You are practically geo-tagging every Air Force personnel, making them vulnerable for live tracking @IAF_MCC. Jai Hind”

Army veteran Major Madhan Kumar tweeted, “If the exclusive benefits is based on a promo code , it means the UBER will have the access to @IAF_MCC personnels name , their contacts, phone no, email I’d & location. Data security in #India ?”

Independent journalist Saikiran Kannan outlined key problems surrounding the MoU between Uber and the Indian Air Force. These include challenges of sensitive data exposure on breach of Uber’s systems, profiling of IAF personnel and tracking of their movements.

At the same time, Uber may be targeted by state-sponsored hackers and compromise of information can lead to disruption of military intelligence and operations.

Journalist Rohit Vats highlighted that if the IAF personnel were to receive coupon codes, then, Uber could use them to create a separate database of such users and their families.

“Depending on the usage rate, over a period, you can have a very large database of numbers tagged as ‘IAF’.Location of mobile number = location of the IAF personnel, or his family. If you go one step further, by hacking into telecom database, external actors can correlate mobile number(s) with exact name of the person,” he cautioned.

Vats further added, “What happens next? Targeted malware into the phones of IAF personnel, tracking their movement, hacking their phone database and information etc. Sky is the limit!”

Uber and its history of data breaches

The ride-sharing app has faced multiple data breaches over the past 10 years and was even found guilty of concealing some of those breaches.

2014: Unknown hackers accessed over 1 lakh names and their driving license numbers of Uber users. They also downloaded information about the bank accounts and domestic routing numbers of 215 users.

2016: Uber was breached by 2 attackers, named, Brandon Charles Glover and Vasile Mereacre. The duo was able to access the personally identifiable information of more than 57 million users. The attackers then sent ransom mail to the ride-sharing app and informed that they had access to Uber’s database.

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Joey Sullivan paid the duo $50,000 to delete the compromised data and not disclose the breach. Sullivan kept it under cover and withheld information from other Uber employees and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

He later pled guilty to one count each of obstruction of justice and Misprision of a Felony and was sentenced to 3 years probation. Uber was fined $148 million for hiding the data breach.

2022: A hacker bought stolen credentials of an existing Uber employee from the dark web. He then attempted to access the network of the ride-sharing app but the account was protected by Multi-factor authentication (MFA).

He contacted the Uber employee through WhatsApp and impersonated a member of the security team. The hacker kept on pestering the employee to approve the login notification.

When the employee gave in, the hacker had access to the entire Uber network. He then hacked an employee’s Slack account and announced the data breach. However, he did not do anything and simply ‘walked away.’

Strava heatmap episode: A case study

In January 2018, a fitness tracking app called Strava was found publicly displaying a heatmap of exercise routes followed by military personnel of the US, UK and Russia in different bases of the world.

Strava used a mobile phone’s GPS to track the exercise activity of its subscribers. It collects the data and provides insights on one’s performance and concerning others.

The said heatmap, generated from data aggregated between 2015-2017, showed the jogging routes of active military personnel in Syria, Afghanistan, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands. The major security concern was first raised by Nathan Ruser.

Strava was able to access the data since the military personnel had shared their location data with the fitness tracking app. While the location of military bases is often public knowledge, the common routes taken by soldiers are not available publicly.

The app also showed routes where the military personnel underwent light training and heavy training, besides the ones used by aid workers and NGOs in remote areas. The information could have been exploited by hostile governments, secret agencies and terror outfits.

While speaking to BBC, defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus noted, “Each piece of evidence is a fragment, but when added together it could pose a significant risk to security – in this case highlighting the location of formerly secret bases or undisclosed patterns of military activity.”

The multiple data breaches faced by Uber, and the security compromise on the part of Strava highlight the need for better data protection. The MoU between the ride-sharing app and the Indian Air Force (IAF) is thus fraught with risks.

Note: OpIndia has written to the Indian Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force and Uber. The article will be updated once we receive a response from them.

Fake court in Ahmedabad: Maurice Samuel Christian, posing as a judge, with fake staff and lawyers, seizes 100 acres of govt land; arrested

ભાર્ગવ રાજ્યગુરુ
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Fake court in Ahmedabad: Maurice Samuel Christian, posing as a judge, with fake staff and lawyers, seizes 100 acres of govt land; arrested

On Monday, 21st October, Maurice Samuel Christian, who posed as a fake arbitrator judge and established a fraudulent court in Ahmedabad to loot government land worth crores, was exposed. The Karanj Police have arrested the accused and have taken him into custody as the investigations continue. OpIndia reached out to the Karanj police station, where officers confirmed that Maurice Christian is currently detained and under investigation.

As per the reports, Christian established a fake court, falsely claiming to be an arbitrator judge. He even hired fake lawyers and staff to support his claim. It is said that he fraudulently seized 100 acres of government land using this false identity. The City Civil Court Registrar of Ahmedabad, Hardik Sagar Desai, filed a complaint against Christian at the Karanj Police Station, leading to an FIR being registered under multiple sections of the IPC, including 170, 419, 420, 465, 467, 471, and 120B.

A copy of the FIR has been obtained by OpIndia. According to the complaint, Christian committed several offenses by impersonating a judge and illegally acquiring government land worth crores.

According to the police complaint, Maurice Samuel Christian falsely presented himself as an arbitrator when Babuji Chhanaji Thakor, a labourer from Paldi, Ahmedabad, had been embroiled in a land dispute with the government for years. During this time, Thakor came into contact with Maurice. Seizing the opportunity, Maurice involved himself in the case, unlawfully retaining legal counsel for Babuji while posing as an arbitrator. He declared himself a mediator in the dispute between Babuji and the government, despite lacking any arbitration agreement or the authority under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, of 1996, to resolve such matters.

The police revealed that Christian had issued a fraudulent judgment in the dispute between Babuji and the Ahmedabad Collector. He had even submitted claims and statements to the court on March 30, 2019. Christian ruled in Babuji’s favor, falsely stating that government land worth Rs 200 crores in Paldi had been unlawfully seized from Babuji, all while posing as an unauthorized arbitration tribunal.

When this fraudulent order was brought before the Ahmedabad City Civil Court, Christian’s fraud was exposed. Judge JL Chowtia of the Ahmedabad City Civil Court subsequently instructed the court registrar to file a complaint, leading to Christian’s exposure.

Following the court’s order, City Civil Court Registrar Hardik Desai complained to Karanj Police Station, leading to the immediate arrest of Maurice Samuel Christian, who had been posing as a ‘judge.’ The police registered a case based on the complaint and confirmed to OpIndia that the investigation is ongoing, with the accused currently in lockup. Authorities also stated that they are actively pursuing further inquiries into the matter. Christian’s fraudulent activities continued from March 2, 2019, until his arrest on October 21, 2024.

It is worth noting that Maurice Samuel Christian had established a court-like environment, complete with fake staff, including lawyers, bailiffs, and clerks, to deceive people. According to the police, Christian’s scheme involved issuing fraudulent rulings in favor of petitioners in his fake court and then submitting these false claims to legitimate courts to unlawfully benefit his clients.

In this case, the public prosecutor argued before the City Civil Court that there is no evidence showing that Babuji had legally appointed Maurice Samuel Christian as an arbitrator, nor did the court authorize him in that role. The prosecutor pointed out that Christian had even hired a lawyer on Babuji’s behalf in the civil court to enforce his fraudulent order.

Furthermore, the prosecutor argued that Christian conspired to issue a one-sided verdict, despite lacking any government authorization to serve as an arbitrator, and without any signed contract.

The lawyer questioned how Christian had the authority to issue notices to government authorities without an arbitration agreement in place. He also raised concerns about how Christian could deliver a judgment when the authorities had not responded to his notice. The lawyer emphasized that there was no need to approach the High Court in this case, as arbitration had not been lawfully initiated.

It was also revealed that Christian had issued similar orders in 10 other cases, which are likely to be investigated. The court fined the petitioner, Babuji, ₹50,000 and instructed the Registrar of the Ahmedabad Civil Court to file a complaint against Christian. Following this order, a criminal case was registered, and Christian was arrested.

Bahraich violence: Supreme Court halts bulldozer action for a day, UP government assures ‘no action on demolition notices’

OpIndia Staff
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Bahraich violence: Supreme Court halts bulldozer action for a day, UP government assures ‘no action on demolition notices’

The Uttar Pradesh government has assured the Supreme Court that authorities won’t take any action till 23rd October on demolition notices issued against some buildings belonging to persons involved in the 13th October Bahraich violence in the state which led to the brutal murder of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra. A Muslim mob had pelted stones at the procession of Durga idol Visarjan and violence had ensued between the two communities.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s administration’s action to demolish the properties of three accused in the Bahraich riot case was put on hold by the Supreme Court on 22nd October until the next hearing on 23rd October. According to the court, the state administration has the “choice” to risk defying the rulings of the highest court. However, the court pointed out that its decision in the “bulldozer justice” case makes it clear that it will not step in if the structures that are being demolished are unlawful. “You are aware of the orders passed by this court. If they (the Uttar Pradesh government) want to take the risk of flouting these orders, that’s their choice,” the court stated while hearing a plea challenging demolition notices served in Bahraich.

On behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj was directed by a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Vishwanathan to hold off on taking any action until 23rd October. “We will not do anything,” he responded. With the exception of situations involving encroachments on public roads, walkways, railroad tracks, or bodies of water, the Supreme Court has prohibited demolitions nationwide without its consent. The apex court reserved its decision in a series of petitions contesting ‘illegal’ bulldozer demolitions by authorities on 1st October.

The Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Prashant Kumar, informed that the situation is now under control and that of the five people arrested concerning the Bahraich violence, two were hurt during a police encounter while the other three were brought into custody. The Public Works Department (PWD) recently issued notices to demolish the properties of individuals named as offenders in the case citing that their constructions were unlawful. Three of them petitioned the Supreme Court on 20th October to halt the demolitions that were scheduled for that day.

The petitioners alleged that the intended demolition action was punitive and that the aforementioned properties were between 10 and 70 years old. They claimed that the government’s allegation of “unauthorised construction” was only a front to circumvent the Supreme Court’s demolition delay order. On behalf of the petitioners, senior lawyer CU Singh stated that notifications were sent on 17th October and pasted on the evening of 18th October. He contended that one of the applicant’s father and brother had turned themselves in. “There is a clear violation of your lordship’s orders. The PWD has issued notices for demolition within three days,” Singh alleged.

The state’s attorney told the bench that the issue involving the bulldozer action is also before the Allahabad High Court. The High Court gave the parties an additional 15 days to reply to the notifications following an urgent hearing on 20th October. Singh, however, maintained that the High Court had not offered any protection. The Supreme Court subsequently posted the case for hearing and instructed the administration to wait until the next hearing to take any action.

‘Personal laws must be considered, he is allowed to have 4 wives’: Bombay HC affirms Muslim man’s right to register multiple marriages

OpIndia Staff
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‘Personal laws must be considered, he is allowed to have 4 wives’: Bombay HC affirms Muslim man’s right to register multiple marriages

On Tuesday, 22nd October, the Bombay High Court determined that a Muslim man may register multiple weddings under the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriages Act of 1998.

A division bench of Justices BP Colabawalla and Somasekhar Sundareshan had been hearing an application submitted by a couple after the Thane Municipal Corporation declined to register their marriage. The corporation contended that the marriage may only be registered once under the Act and that the couple did not furnish the documents necessary for registration.

The couple claimed that this was the Muslim man’s third marriage, this time with an Algerian woman, and that the corporation had already recognized his second marriage to a Moroccan citizen. They also claimed that they had provided all necessary documentation and were willing to submit any further documents asked by the corporation.

“In the entire Scheme of the Act, we do not find anything that would preclude a Muslim Male from registering a third marriage. In fact, Section 7(1)(a) specifically contemplates that the Registrar has to ensure that the marriage between the parties is performed in accordance with the personal law of the parties. It is not even disputed by the authorities that under the personal laws for Muslims, they are entitled to have four wives at a time,”  the order reads.

The high court further stated that personal laws must be considered while registering a marriage. “If we were to accept this submission, it would effectively mean that this Act overrides and/or has displaced the personal laws of Muslims. There is absolutely nothing in this Act to indicate that the personal laws of Muslims have been excluded,” the order stated. 

The court then asked Thane Municipal Corporation to hold a personal hearing for the couple and issue a reasoned ruling within 10 days. Furthermore, the court safeguarded the wife from deportation while the registration process was underway and for two weeks afterward.

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