FIR lodged over hacking of Amazon Prime customer's account
Noida (UP): An FIR was filed over an alleged fraud and hacking of an Amazon customer's account on the e-commerce giant's website, officials said on Friday.
The FIR was lodged at the Sector 20 police station on Thursday after the complainant, a Noida resident, alleged that her Amazon Prime account got hacked and the problem remains unresolved despite assurance from Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, an official statement said.
Noida Police officials said the FIR names as accused "Amazon employees" and a Madhya Pradesh-based man, Omkar, who was found using the complainant's Amazon Prime account.
"The matter has been handed over to the Cyber Cell and an investigation has been launched into the complaint," a local official told PTI.
When contacted, an Amazon India spokesperson said, "We have just been made aware of the matter and are in the process of retrieving the details from the concerned police station to help resolve the customer issue."
Surabhi Aggarwal stated in the FIR that she had purchased a membership of Amazon Prime, a paid subscription to premium services, including video streaming, by the tech giant, in February this year against a payment of Rs 999 which is valid for one year.
However, Aggarwal stated that she started facing issues with her subscription after around six months and was not even able to log into her account, prompting her to contact the customer care support of the company.
She added that she was told by Amazon officials that her registered email-id was changed in June and that the company had informed her about it via email. However, she claimed that she did not receive any such intimation from the company.
"Firstly, I did not change my email address... and secondly, I did not receive any email from Amazon regarding the aforementioned change in my email address," Aggarwal, a Supreme Court lawyer, claimed, adding that she had asked the company to resend the intimation mail they sent her in June but got it only in August.
She alleged that her account was hacked, credentials changed and orders placed, like earphones worth Rs 3,887, and even Amazon Pay activated on the account but the transactions were not carried out by her.
She said she later got a reminder from the company to clear her Amazon Pay Later (an Amazon service to get credit and return in EMIs) payments pending since August 5.
"Immediately upon receiving the Amazon Pay Later repayment reminder on August 8, I wrote a mail to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, narrating the whole incident and also forewarning that if no action is taken by Amazon, I shall be constrained to file an FIR," Aggarwal alleged.
"I again received an Amazon Pay Later repayment reminder mail on August 9 for clearing dues pending since August 5. On August 11, I received a mail from the office of Jeff Bezos, CEO,Amazon stating that my Amazon Account security breach issue has been investigated and resolved. I state that the same is not true. I was never informed of the results of the investigation conducted by Amazon, or my query being resolved as my Amazon account continues to remain suspended and I continue to receive the Amazon Pay Later repayment reminder mails," she alleged.
Aggarwal said she again informed the office of Bezos but has not been contacted by Amazon thereafter, nor received any update or intimation electronically.
"Instead, yet again I have received an Amazon Pay Later repayment reminder mail on August 13," she claimed.
The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code section 420 (cheating) and under provisions of the Information Technology Act, the police said.
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
