1. FIR Filed in Aadhaar Data Leak Case; All Info Safe, Says UIDAI
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has registered an FIR for unauthorised access to Aadhaar data, such as names and other demographic details, due to the misuse of the grievance redressal facility at the office of the Surat district administration in Gujarat.
The breach came to light following a report in The Tribune that claimed an "agent" available on WhatsApp facilitated access by a login ID and password to the particulars of any Aadhaar number.
The agent, the report claimed, was paid Rs 500 through Paytm. Particulars such as name, address, postal code, photo, phone number and email were accessed and the Aadhaar card printed, the report said. UIDAI denied that the breach allowed access to millions of Aadhaar cardholders' details, saying the search facility is available for the purpose of grievance redressal to designated personnel and state government officials and details are limited to the particular Aadhaar number punched in.
(Source: Times of India)
2. Bhima-Koregaon Violence: FIR Against Jignesh Mevani, Umar Khalid for 'Provocative' Speeches in Pune
The Pune police, late on Wednesday night, registered a criminal case against newly elected Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and student leader from JNU Umar Khalid under charges of ‘creating communal disharmony’ through the ‘provocative speeches’ they delivered at Elgaar Parishad held at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on 31 December.
The complaint application was received at Deccan Gymkhana police station, which was submitted by two youths Akshay Bikkad (22) and Anand Dhond (25), who claimed not to be affiliated with any organisation. The two had demanded registration of criminal offence against Mevani and Khalid for promoting enmity between different groups through their speeches.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Pakistan Puts out New Video on Kulbhushan Jadhav, India Says It Is a Propaganda Stunt
Pakistan on Thursday released another video of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, 47, who is currently on death row in Pakistan, in which he claimed that he was not ill-treated in custody. Jadhav also echoed Islamabad’s point of view and reiterated that he was a serving Indian Navy officer.
Hours after Pakistan’s foreign ministry released the video, New Delhi said Islamabad’s “propagandistic exercises” have “no credibility”, and said it was “absurd” that a “captive under duress is certifying his own welfare”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Triple Talaq Bill Deadlock Continues Amid Ruckus in Rajya Sabha
The deadlock on the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha continued on Thursday with the opposition insisting on its reference to a Select Committee for detailed scrutiny and the government rejecting the demand.
With no agreement, the government placed the bill in the bottom of priority in the list of business, which the opposition strongly objected to and demanded that its motions for referring the bill to a Select Committee be taken up immediately.
As Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien pleaded helplessness on the ground that the listing of business was the government’s priority and decided to go ahead with a bill on GST, opposition members created an uproar, forcing him to adjourn the House for the day.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. After Kamala Mills Blaze, Another Fire in Mumbai: 4, Including Two Children, Dead in Andheri East
Four people, including two children, were killed and five injured after a fire broke out in a residential building in Mumbai’s Andheri (East) early on Thursday morning.
Preliminary investigations by the fire brigade suggest a short-circuit in an air conditioner (AC) caused the fire in Maimoon Manzil in Bhori colony.
The deceased were identified as Sakina A Kapasi (14), Mohsin A Kapasi (10), Tasleem A Kapasi (42) and Dawood Ali Kapasi (80). The five who suffered burn injuries were admitted to Holy Spirit hospital and their condition is stated to be stable.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Fodder Court Judge Says He Got Calls From Lalu’s Well-Wishers; Jail Term on Friday
A special court on Thursday deferred the sentencing of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fodder-scam case going back 21 years.
Judge Shiv Pal Singh of the special court handling cases of the CBI had convicted Lalu and 15 others on 23 December, and was to have pronounced the sentence on Tuesday but the case did not come up that day.
The judge said on Thursday he received phone calls from the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief’s well-wishers, but did not say what the calls were about.
On Friday, he may announce the punishment over video conferencing.
(Source: The Telegraph)
7. SC Notice to Centre, States on Non-Implementation of Law to Stop Sexual Exploitation of Women at Workplace
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to examine a plea alleging non-implementation of the law to prevent sexual exploitation of women at work place and issued notice to the Centre and states seeking their response on why they have not appointed officers and set up local complaint committee in each district to deal with such cases.
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act was passed by Parliament in 2013 and the law mandates states and union territories to notify an officer in each district to deal with such cases. It has made a provision to set up a local committee at district level to receive complaints from establishments where the internal committee has not been constituted due to having less than ten workers or if the complaint is against the employer.
(Source: Times of India)
8. Raja Is Vindicated in 2G Case, Admits Manmohan
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed happiness over the acquittal of former IT Minister A Raja, saying, “You stand vindicated in the 2G case.”
“You and your family have suffered greatly in this process, but all your friends are greatly relieved that truth has prevailed. I send you and members of your family my greetings and best wishes for the New Year,” said Dr Singh in a letter to Mr Raja written on 2 January.
It was a response to an earlier letter that Mr Raja had written to Dr Singh in late December, asking him if he would come out in his support at least now.
(Source: The Hindu)
9. Donald Trump 'Talking in the Language of India': Pakistan Foreign Minister
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday alleged that US President Donald Trump's recent remarks against his country showed that he was "talking in the language of India".
Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security about tension between Pakistan and the US following Trump's remarks, Asif said the US is making Islamabad a scapegoat for its failure in Afghanistan.
Trump had accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid.
(Source: The New Indian Express)