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India needs a strong, stable and decisive government for the next 10 years: NSA Ajit Doval

OpIndia Staff
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India needs a strong, stable and decisive government for the next 10 years: NSA Ajit Doval

NSA and now head of Strategic Policy Group or SPG Ajit Doval, today at Sardar Patel Memorial, talked extensively about the current need of strengthening democracy and the necessity of keeping and strong and stable dispensation, and also cautioned about vulnerabilities that coalition government brings.


Stating that a weak coalition would be bad for India, Doval emphasised on the need for a strong, stable and a decisive government.

Juxtaposing India’s growth story with that of China, Doval said that by 1970s, India and China’s economy were on the same level, but in 2010 China emerged like a giant while India still lags behind in terms of economy. He further added that India will become the world’s biggest economy by 2030, as it is on a verge of tremendous journey and said world also needs India for growth and prosperity

Emphasising on the perils of populism and its ill-effects, which temporally soothes public anger, but assaults economy in the longer run, he said that political gains should not be given precedence over country’s overall prospects.

Speaking about private industries and their role in the economy, he cited the example of Chinese conglomerate Alibaba and its success story. The main reason, he says, behind its massive success is government backing. He asked private bigwigs in India to put the country’s interests at fore and work, like industries in China.

As defence is one the rising phenomenon in a current while, and its need of indigenous production is gaining momentum, Doval said new government policy makes it mandatory for firms to provide 100% technology transfer, in defence hardware field.

Commenting upon judiciary and legislature, Doval encouraged citizens to respect law of the land. He said, “We are not governed by people’s representative, but by the laws made by them, therefore the rule of law is extremely important.”

Earlier, this month NSA Ajit Doval’s portfolios were increased by making him head of Strategic Policy Group or SPG to assist the National Security Council, which advises the Prime Minister on matters of national security and strategic interests. He is probably the most powerful official in government, right now.

Fake banking apps targeting victims in India, says cyber security company

OpIndia Staff
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Fake banking apps targeting victims in India, says cyber security company

Instances of financial fraud have been on an alarming rise in our country, especially in the world of digital banking.

As per latest reports, fake banking apps of several banks including State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Axis and Citi Bank, which are easily available on Google Play store, have compromised the data of nearly 160,000 people, according to Sophos labs, a Global IT company.

These phoney apps made their way into Google Play store in the last few months, recreating a fake logo of the respective banks, making it difficult for customers to differentiate between these fake and original applications, claimed Sophos. This is known as Phishing attack, when a fake website or app is created to look like a genuine one, intended to steal login credentials and other details from unsuspecting users. Such stolen data is later used to withdraw money from such compromised accounts, or to make online payments.

Luring victims to download and use them, these bluff applications pose as e-wallets, offering rewards like free mobile data or interest fee loans, cash back on purchases and several other “too-good-to-be-true” offers, mentioned sources.

The most deceptive tactic is the one claiming to withdraw cash from an ATM and have it delivered to the users’ doorstep. Pankaj Kohli, threat researcher at Sophos Labs said, “These fake apps may have stolen several bank customers’ account data, including thousands of their credit card numbers, as well.”

Few fake apps. credit: sophos.com

The fake applications have also targeted the Indian Overseas Bank and Bank of Baroda, according to reports.

However, when some of the banks mentioned in the report were contacted, they claimed that they were unaware of the existence of these apps.

Yet, other banks have initiated inquiry and have also informed the CERT-In (the national nodal agency) regarding the computer security incident. YES Bank hs informed its cyber fraud department regarding the matter. Meanwhile, Citi Bank has denied any form of impact on their company, requesting Sophos to remove its name from such reports.

Rahul Gandhi is lying, CBI cannot probe the Rafale deal on its own

Raju Das
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Rahul Gandhi is lying, CBI cannot probe the Rafale deal on its own

After CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on leave pending enquiry on allegations against them, the Verma camp has been alleging that he was about to start an investigation into the Rafale deal, that’s why a scared central government removed him from his post.


This claim, made by Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and many other politicians, activists and media houses, has two fundamental problems. First, the CBI or director had never said that they are going to probe the matter. How did opposition parties and activists know what was CBI planning to do? Does it mean that Verma or someone in CBI was leaking information about future probes? This raises a serious question about the functioning of the premier investigation agency.

The second and the real problem is, CBI can’t initiate such probes on its own. It must be allocated such cases by the central government or a competent court.

The Central Bureau of Investigation was formed under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. It derives its power from section 2 of the act.

Section 6A of the Act states the following:

6A. Approval of Central Government to conduct, inquiry or investigation. —

(1) The Delhi Special Police Establishment shall not conduct any inquiry or investigation into any offence alleged to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (49 of 1988) except with the previous approval of the Central Government where such allegation relates to—

(a) the employees of the Central Government of the level of Joint Secretary and above; and

(b) such officers as are appointed by the Central Government in corporations established by or under any Central Act, Government companies, societies and local authorities owned or controlled by that Government.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no such approval shall be necessary for cases involving arrest of a person on the spot on the charge of accepting or attempting to accept any gratification other than legal remuneration referred to in clause (c) of the Explanation to section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (49 of 1988)].

This section makes it clear that CBI can start a probe on its own only in cases of taking a bribe. And there are not bribe allegations in the Rafale deal. In fact, there is no clear allegation of any corruption in the deal. Rahul Gandhi and others keep talking that the deal is a big scam, but nobody is sure what is the exact scam here. Nobody has accused that anyone including Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken bribe either from Dassault or Reliance while awarding the contract to supply 36 Rafale jets. Dassault’s Rafale was selected after an extensive process during the UPA government, so there is no question about a substandard product being ordered.

There are allegations that NDA government is paying more for the jets, but that allegation can’t be probed by CBI on its own, that order must come either from central government or a court, according to the law.

Therefore, the claim that CBI Director Alok Verma was going to probe the Rafale deal is baseless. And if indeed he was going to do it as claimed by his camp, it would have been a violation of law, especially when the Supreme Court has already refused to pass any order in petitions against the Rafale deal, saying that allegations against the deal “appear to be grossly inadequate”.

Meanwhile, even the CBI has denied that the agency was probing the Rafale deal.


The agency has said that the reports of it probing the deal are false, and said that director Alok Verma did not collect any document related to the Rafale deal.

Massive crackdown by Kerala government on protesting Sabarimala devotees

OpIndia Staff
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Massive crackdown by Kerala government on protesting Sabarimala devotees

As per local newspaper Matrubhumi, over 1400 people have been arrested by the Kerala Police in connection with the protests preventing the entry of women between the age of 10 and 50 years of age at the Sabarimala Temple. Over 258 cases have reportedly been filed too.


The police have also published photos of more than 200 people involved in the protests and intends to publish more soon. Matrubhumi reports that the photo of a policeman named Ibrahim Kutty of Pathanamthitta AR camp was included by mistake in the list of photos of devotees.

Other media outlets have also reported mass arrests by the Kerala Police in a massive crackdown against devotees of Lord Ayyappa. As per reports, the Police had filed cases against 2000 persons and issued a lookout notice against 210. 71 persons are said to have been taken into custody in Ernakulam, 40 in Kozhikkode and 30 each in Palakkad and Pathanamthitta districts. In addition, 30 people were reportedly arrested at Kozhikode before being let off. All of them allegedly belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party or other Hindutva outfits.

We have reported earlier that the Kerala government plans to fortify the areas around the Sabarimala Temple with a massive police force to regulate the entry and exit of devotees. It is assumed that it would make it easier for the communists to help the activists desecrate the abode of Lord Ayyappa.

The communist party is facing wide criticism due to its highhandedness in dealing with the devotees of Lord Ayyappa. With the unprecedented numbers of people coming out to support the preservation of temple traditions and maintaining of its sanctity, the Sabarimala issue is now expected to play a significant role in upcoming political maneuvers in Kerala.

#Metoo: Catholic Body to begin probe against accused priests in Meghalaya sexual abuse case

OpIndia Staff
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#Metoo: Catholic Body to begin probe against accused priests in Meghalaya sexual abuse case

Five days ago a tribal Khasi woman from Meghalaya had put up a Facebook post accusing two clergies of Shillong Church of sexually abusing her since she was five years old. The woman who is now 40, had named in her post two clergies, Br Francis Gale of the Christian Brothers and Br Muscat of Don Bosco group. According to her Facebook post, Gale, who is now posted in West Bengal, was serving at St Edmund’s School in Shillong at that time. The second clergy whom she accused of sexual abuse is Brother Muscat of the Salesians of Don Bosco, another society under the Catholic Church. He is posted in Shillong. The Don Bosco society reportedly refused to speak on the matter.

The Congregation of Christian Brothers in India, a religious community within the Catholic church, have reportedly said that they would initiate an inquiry in the matter. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the CCBI said the “Christian Brothers stand in solidarity with and in support of any survivor of sexual abuse”.

The Professional Ethics Commission of the community assured that action will be taken against accused Brother Francis Gale if found guilty.“A due procedure will be initiated as laid out in our policy – safeguarding children and vulnerable adults – to take this serious allegation forward towards arriving at the truth and assisting the survivor with necessary help to attain due closure,” the Commission’s society protection officer J. Johnson said in a statement here.

As per reports, the church body in Meghalaya has ordered an internal inquiry after allegations of sexual harassment were made against the clergies.

Recollecting the ways in which the two accused sexually abused her, the victim wrote in her Facebook post, “He was a trusted ‘friend’ to my family and held in great esteem as a ‘religious man’. I was sent to him for tuition — I was 5 when he first showed me his penis and asked me to touch it. I told a family member and adult I trusted most then, and I was slapped and told never to make up such stories”.

She shared how the trauma of sexual abuse made her attempt suicide thrice and on two such occasions, she was hospitalised. However, she has reportedly stated that she did not want to take the legal recourse. “This for me is my closure – to come out, without shame, and share the crimes that were done against me”, she said.

The State Commission for Women has stated that a formal complaint needs to be filed to ensure a thorough investigation. “It would be advisable if the victim files a formal FIR so that the legal framework can be activated to its optimum,” the Chairperson of Meghalaya State Commission for Women has reportedly stated. Meena Kharkonghor, the chairperson of Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has stated to Hindustan Times that since POCSO Act was not in existence at the time of the alleged crime, only the relevant sections of IPC will be applicable if the victim considers filing an FIR.

#MeToo: Punjab cabinet minister Channi accused of sending lewd messages to a female IAS officer

OpIndia Staff
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#MeToo: Punjab cabinet minister Channi accused of sending lewd messages to a female IAS officer

Punjab technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi landed himself in hot water for allegedly sending lewd messages to a woman IAS officer. According to the reports, the complainant had informed Punjab CM Amarinder Singh before he proceeded on his Israel tour. Channi is said to be close to Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

As per reports, despite giving warnings, the minister continued sending vulgar messages to her, following which the IAS officer escalated the complaint to senior authorities including the chief minister. Validating the occurrence of the incident, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder, who is currently in Israel on an official tour, said the matter related to vulgar messages to a lady IAS officer has been taken very seriously and it will be resolved to the officer’s satisfaction.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, too, is reportedly privy to the details of this situation and the party is still deliberating on whether to dispense with the minister’s services or not. Meanwhile, CM Amarinder Singh has enjoined the mister to seek an apology from the concerned officer. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock over the incident. He said that it was shocking that even the Congress chief was silent on this issue for more than a month. “Rahul Gandhi should explain whether he is complicit in this cover-up. There is no way a minister accused of such behaviour can continue in the Cabinet,” he said.

Even in the past, the Congress party has been accused of dragging their feet on action against sexual molesters. Congress IT cell head, Divya Spandana was named in a charge sheet that was filed by a former party worker accused the right-hand man of Spandana of molestation at the workplace. Divya was accused by the complainant of not taking action against the molester. A woman colleague of NSUI had accused former NSUI president Fairoz Khan of sexual harassment in June in a written complaint to the Congress Party. The Congress party didn’t act on the complaint until mid-October and as the #MeToo campaign gained momentum, they were forced to act against him, resulting in his resignation from the NSUI president post.

Dalit outfit’s lawyer wants Rakhi Sawant in jail for ‘insulting’ Tanushree Dutta

OpIndia Staff
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Dalit outfit’s lawyer wants Rakhi Sawant in jail for ‘insulting’ Tanushree Dutta

The Bhim Army, a group of Dalit rights activists, submitted an application to the Oshiwara police station last week to file an FIR against Rakhi Sawant under the SC/ST Atrocities Act for her remarks on Tanushree Dutta-Nana Patekar controversy where Dutta has accused Patekar of sexual misconduct against her in 2008. Sawant, who had replaced Dutta in the song when the controversy erupted in 2008, had reportedly threatened to thrash Dutta. Nitin Satpute, Dutta’s lawyer wants to file a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.

Meanwhile, from media reports, it is not clear whether the SC/ST Atrocities Act is invoked because of Rakhi’s comments on Dutta, who earlier had a ‘spiritual encounter’ with Jesus Christ, or it is related to Satpute, who represents the Dalit outfit.

This is not the first time Sawant has ‘hurt religious sentiments‘. In April 2017, when Rakhi had retold the widely known story of Maharishi Valmiki, where the dacoit had reformed and become a sage and then wrote the Ramayana, some people belonging to the Valmiki community took an offence. The Punjab Police had even issued an arrest warrant against her.

The Bhim Army has also been often surrounded by controversies. In May this year, six Bhim Army supporters were arrested in a plan to kill an MLA to create caste unrest. The Bhim Army founder, Chandrashekhar, was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) for his alleged involvement in the Saharanpur riots on 8th June 2017.

Meanwhile, Rakhi Sawant has filed a Rs. 50 crore defamation case against Dutta, accusing her of raping her. Addressing a press conference, Sawant has claimed that Dutta is a lesbian and touched her inappropriately years ago.

Father Kuriakose’s family retracts earlier statement, says won’t go for second autopsy

OpIndia Staff
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Father Kuriakose’s family retracts earlier statement, says won’t go for second autopsy

The family members of Kuriakose Kattuthara have retracted their desire for a second post-mortem done on the body. Kuriakose was a 60-year-old priest who had spoken vigorously against the rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, and was found dead in Bhogpur in Jalandhar under mysterious conditions. Initially, the family had expressed their desire for a second post-mortem, if they were not satisfied with the police probe. On Wednesday they said that now they do not want a second post-mortem.

“We are satisfied with the post-mortem conducted in Punjab and, therefore, will not go for another in Kerala,” said John Thomas, the deceased priest’s cousin.

Father Kuriakose, a native of Kerala’s Allepy, had given a statement to the police against the rape accused Bishop Franco and stood in solidarity with the nuns who were demanding Bishop Franco’s arrest.

Father Kuriakose’s brother, Jose Kattuthara while speaking to Mathrubhumi news has put forth his suspicions, regarding his brother’s death and casting aspersions on the ‘natural death’ theory, he alleged that Father Kuriakose had been killed for giving a statement against Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Jose Kattuthara, in the complaint lodged with Punjab’s Dasuya Police, has further alleged that his brother was harassed mentally and physically at Mulakkal’s behest.

On the basis of his complaint, the police had initiated a probe. The body was handed over to the family on Tuesday after the post-mortem conducted by a board of four doctors, the entire procedure was video recorded.

When John was asked whether they think the death was natural, he said, “We will wait for the autopsy report and after that, we will see if it natural or not.”

The principal of the St Paul Convent School Sister Lisabeth had confirmed that Fr Kuriakose had differences with Mulakkal. She was the first who saw Fr Kuriakose’s body in his room. But the officials of the Jalandhar diocese have rubbished the allegations of the deceased priest’s family. The officials allege that they are under the influence of another group who have contrived a story to malign bishop Mulakkal’s image and to get his bail canceled.

Diocese spokesperson Father Peter asserted that if the police trace the phone calls of the two it would be clear that the Bishop did not threaten or pressurised the priest, as his family members claimed.

When asked whether Kuriakose’s residence or vehicle was ever vandalised as have been claimed, David Gill, who was a driver of the priest when he was posted in Bhogpur, said that no such incident took place.

Father Kuriakose worked as a priest and teacher at the Jalandhar diocese and had supported the Missionaries of Jesus nun, who had accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape. In an earlier interview to Mathrubhumi, Father Kuriakose had claimed that he was constantly threatened by church officials for standing against the rape accused Bishop.

However when he died the police recovered blood pressure tablets from the spot and it was found that he had vomited over the bed. The police had further said that no injuries were found on him.

Bishop Franco, Archdiocese of Jalandhar, Punjab, was arrested by the police officials on September 21 after the investigating team finally found evidence that linked him in the sexual harassment case. He was given a grand welcome in Jalandhar after being granted conditional bail on October 15.

President rejects disqualification plea against AAP MLAs, but risk of disqualification is still there

OpIndia Staff
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President rejects disqualification plea against AAP MLAs, but risk of disqualification is still there

Today President Ramnath Kovind officially dismissed a plea to disqualify 27 ruling Aam Admi Party MLAs of Delhi. The dismissal was based on an opinion given by the Election Commission (EC) in July, having “found no merit in the plea.”

In 2016, Delhi based lawyer Vibhor Anand had discovered that several AAP MLAs were appointed as Chairpersons of RKS -Rogi Kalyan Samitis (Patient Welfare Committees) of various government hospitals in Delhi. Since these posts were not exempted via any notification by the GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi), Anand found them to be instances of holding an office of profit.

He then made a list of 27 such MLAs and filed a complaint with the Election Commission, asserting that rules allowed an MLA only to be a member of the governing committee and not a Chairperson, alleging that the appointment of the MLAs as Chairpersons of RKSs itself was, thereby, illegal.

On further investigation, he found that there were not just 27, but 37 MLAs who were appointed Chairpersons in RKSs were also involved in corruption. He then planned to file a PIL in the Delhi High Court soon seeking action against them.

Such pleas are usually sent to the President, who then forwards it to the EC which studies the matter further and forwards it back to the President for his final orders.

There is another case of disqualifying 20 AAP MLAs on allegations of holding ‘office of profit’, and 14 MLAs are common in both the cases. In January this year, these 20 MLAs were disqualified on the recommendation of EC. The party had moved Delhi High Court challenging this order, and in March the court had stayed aside the disqualification on procedural grounds, thereby restoring the membership of those 20 MLAs.

President Ramnath Kovind’s decision regarding this case today was made in accordance with an order issued by the Delhi government’s health and family welfare department on April 26, claiming that the ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ are merely advisory in nature since they are involved in assisting health facilities, developing and customising health strategies.

Aircel-Maxis case: ED Files supplementary chargesheet against former finance minister P Chidambaram

OpIndia Staff
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Aircel-Maxis case: ED Files supplementary chargesheet against former finance minister P Chidambaram

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday has filed a supplementary charge sheet against former finance minister P Chidambaram in the Patiala House Court for his alleged involvement in Aircel-Maxis case.
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According to reports, this is the second charge sheet being filed by ED in the Aircel Maxis Case. The ED has listed a total of nine people including P Chidambaram as an accused in the charge sheet. In addition to P Chidambaram, Karti’s chartered accountant Bhaskaraman and V Srinivasan, the former CEO of Aircel .

Reportedly, the charge sheet mentions about illegal FIPB approval given by Chidambaram to M/S Global Communication Holding Services Ltd for investments in Aircel.

The Aircel-Maxis deal emerged during CBI’s probe into 2G spectrum case which subsequently lead to revealing that how Congress leader, P Chidambaram, who was the finance minister in 2006, granted a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to a foreign firm when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it.

ED has alleged that in return for the approval, a payment of Rs 26 lakhs was made by Aircel Televentures Ltd to ASCPL, allegedly linked to Karti Chidambaram.

The court has fixed November 26 as the date for consideration of the charge sheet.

The CBI had earlier named P Chidambaram, his son Karti and 16 others in relation to suspected criminal misconduct related to approvals of investment deals. The CBI had also accused the former Finance Minister as ‘willful lawbreaker’ in its charge sheet filed in July.

The ED has also been probing the involvement of Chidambaram in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore. Recently, the ED had attached several of Karti Chidambaram’s properties in India and aboard. The total value of the attached assets was reportedly about Rs 54 crores.

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