Latest news with #InformationTechnologyAct2000
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Keep taking down offensive email addresses: Karnataka HC to Switzerland-based Proton Mail
While hearing Switzerland-based Proton Mail's appeal to reconsider an earlier order banning the email service in India, the Karnataka High Court Thursday directed the company to keep taking down URLs sending offensive emails referred to in the original petition. In April, the Karnataka High Court had issued directions to the Centre to begin the process to block Proton Mail after M Moser Design Associates complained that several of its women employees received 'obscene' and 'AI-generated material' through Proton Mail. The Karnataka High Court had ordered at the time, 'Mandamus issued to respondents – Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and Ministry of Communications to initiate proceedings in terms of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000 read with Rule 10 of the IT Procedure and Safeguards of Blocking of Access to Information by Public Access Rules, 2009 to block ProtonMail.' Last year, the Delhi High Court had also directed the police and the Centre to examine the use of Proton Mail in India. During the hearing on Thursday, Moser's counsel had argued that Proton Mail's servers were located outside the country to avoid the provisions of the IT Act, and only the Swiss government has access to them. Proton Mail argued that there were issues with the service of summons in the initial case. The counsel of the Union Government stated that proceedings to examine whether the email service should be blocked were underway, and the exercise was expected to take about eight weeks. Moser's counsel Jatin Sehgal complained that they were 'still receiving emails from the portal.' In response to this, the high court told Proton Mail, 'If he is receiving emails, he will give the URL to you. You will block it.' The court directed that complaints be submitted to the nodal officer of Proton Mail dealing with these issues. The matter will be heard next on August 20.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Time of India
Six arrested for sexually assaulting minor girl on several occasions
Vijayawada: Police arrested six men for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl several times in a village in Sri Sathya Sai district. SP V Ratna said that they arrested the accused on Monday following a complaint lodged by the minor. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She stated that she was sexually assaulted by the men on several occasions. This led to a public outrage in the region. Police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 2015, and the Information Technology Act 2000. The SP mentioned that some of the accused have history of similar offences against minor girls, and had reportedly forced the girls to terminate their pregnancies. Additionally, they allegedly intimidated local residents to deter complaints to the police. These matters are under detailed investigation. Among the accused were a security guard, an electrical mechanic, two farmers and two daily wagers. Special police teams have been deployed to apprehend the remaining accused who are currently absconding. The SP emphasised that efforts have been intensified to ensure that all the persons involved faced legal consequences. She added that the police department is committed to check crimes against women and children and will respond swiftly and uncompromisingly in such cases. SP Ratna urged the public to provide relevant information and assured them of complete protection.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Telangana Forensic Lab is now ‘examiner of digital evidence'
The Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (TGFSL) was designated as a 'Government Examiner of Electronic Evidence' under Section 79A of the Information Technology Act 2000, by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, on Wednesday. With this notification, the NABL-accredited TGFSL is now empowered to examine, analyse, and certify digital evidence. This development not only enhances the admissibility of such evidence in courts across the country but also boosts the lab's legal authority and institutional credibility. 'The lab's Digital Forensics Division handles an average of 50 cases a month involving diverse digital storage formats and devices that include damaged hard drives and mobile phones. This wing has contributed significantly to several high-profile convictions in Telangana,' said Director General of TGFSL Shikha Goel. Notably, TGFSL has also set a national benchmark by prioritising forensic reports in POCSO cases, in accordance with Supreme Court directions.
United News of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- United News of India
TN CB-CID unearths multi-crore Iridium Copper scam posing as RBI officials, six held
Chennai, June 3 (UNI) In a significant breakthrough, the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-CID wing has unearthed a multi-crore Iridium Copper scam by the culprits posing as RBI officials and arrested six people in this connection. A CB-CID release here on Tuesday said those arrested included five from Tamil Nadu and one from Telangana and several incriminating materials were seized from them. It was a case of cheating of public by some groups across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states by collecting unauthorized deposits claiming that several thousand crore rupees has been received from the central government through RBI for the sale of iridium copper. They also con them saying service fee has to be paid to RBI and commission has to be paid to higher officials of RBI to release the said amount. These scamsters assure exorbitant returns in the range of crores by showing fabricated RBI bonds to make the victims believe their scam. The scam came to light when a complaint was lodged by a civilian in February 2024 on the 'Sachet' website of Reserve Bank of India for lodging complaints against unauthorized deposit accepted by unincorporated bodies. Subsequently, a complaint was filed by RBI Assistant General Manager A.J. Kennedy in May 2024 to the Chennai Police Commissioner and the same was directed to the CBCID. After conducting a preliminary enquiry, a case has been registered in Salem OCU CBCID unit U/s 419, 465, 468, 471, 420 IPC and 66 D Information Technology Act 2000 r/w five Emblems and Name (Prevention of Improper use) Act, 1950 and taken up for investigation in March 2025. During investigation, the accused persons Nithyanandham, Chandra (both from Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu) were arrested and remanded on May 28. Further investigations led to the arrest of four more accused Anbumani from Dharmapuri district, Muthusamy a native of Salem district, Kesavan also from Salem and Gadi Charla Kishore Kumar of of Telangana state. They were subsequently remanded in custody. The release said a gold-coloured metal, few forged documents, Cell phones with incriminating materials have been seized from the accused persons. Inquiries revealed that the accused have cheated many people across Tamil Nadu and in Andhra Pradesh. So far, around 20 victims from Chennai, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal and Dharmapuri, have been identified and said to have been cheated of money to the tune of Rs 4.5 crores collectively by the accused persons. The scamsters induced victims to invest money in the allegedly secretly maintained central government Iridium trade scheme by showing forged credit certificates in the name of the depositors with RBI emblem. Thereafter, when the victims contacted them for the promised returns, the accused kept dodging them. After a point, they hired persons to pose as RBI officials and meet the victims in star hotels in Delhi or Mumbai and assure them of returns. Once this is done, they even go to the extent of creating a bank account and share credentials with the victims saying money will be deposited in this account. Investigation is going on to arrest remaining persons of this racket and to identify more victims. UNI GV 0630
Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
As Sena MLA alleges social media ‘misuse' by Kunal Kamra and others, HC suggests approaching competent forum
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday disposed of a PIL petition filed by an MLA belonging to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, raising concerns over 'misuse' of social media platforms by influencers, content creators and comedians. A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Makarand S Karnik said the reliefs sought by Rajapur MLA Kiran Samant were general in nature and that he had efficacious remedy available under the Information Technology Rules to make a complaint to the nodal officer seeking blocking of access to such 'misinformation'. In his plea, Samant sought directions for the Union Ministry of Information and Technology, Google and standup comedian Kunal Kamra. The division bench was informed by Samant's lawyer that the MLA was 'disturbed by alarming trends where influential people under the garb of free speech are spreading misinformation and launching unwarranted attacks on the judiciary and shaking very foundation of Indian democratic system'. Seeking to cite an example of alleged misuse of social media, Samant said that comedian Kunal Kamra was a respondent in the case. An FIR was registered against Kamra last month for cracking an allegedly objectionable joke on Deputy Chief Minister Shinde during a standup comedy show. Chief Justice Aradhe orally remarked that while certain content may amount to misuse of social media as per the petitioner, others may see it as an exercise of their freedom of speech, adding that the petitioner cannot determine what it is. Senior advocate Darius Khambata, representing Kamra, said the law prescribes sufficient remedies to the petitioner to complain against certain content and seek its blocking. The court referred to provisions of the Information Technology Act 2000 and the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009. 'Thus, it is evident (from Rule 6) that an aggrieved person has the forum available under the 2009 Rules to seek redressal of blocking of content and even in cases of emergency, to seek blocking of information under Rule 8,' the bench noted. The bench added that the MLA had not invoked the 'efficacious remedy' but approached the court instead, 'seeking the relief in wide terms, which cannot be granted.' The bench noted that Rule 3 (1) (b) (v) of the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, which allowed the government to establish a fact check unit to identify 'fake news' on social media was struck down by the high court last year. The high court had passed a decision with a majority of judges (2 out of 3) ruling against the provision and an appeal against the order is pending before the Supreme Court. Referring to another prayer in the petition, the high court further said the formation of the social media vigilance and censor committee against content violating reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expressions provided under Article 19 (2) of the Constitution was in the 'realm of policy decision' and that a direction cannot be issued outside the scope of the Rules. 'The petitioner himself is a lawmaker and it is open for him to take appropriate action if so advised,' it noted. The bench said the relief sought by Samant—a direction for the IT Ministry to disclose steps taken to implement the IT Act and 2021 Rules—'is couched in general and in very wide terms'. However, it granted him liberty to approach the authority concerned.
