RSTV Benches Anchor for Question About Vajpayee's Role in 'Quit India' Movement
New Delhi: A question by a Rajya Sabha TV anchor to a studio guest about the 1942 undertaking Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave that he would not participate in any anti-British movement so angered Vice President Venkaiah Naidu that the channel was forced to run an apology while the anchor herself was issued a reprimand and taken off air.
One month later, the anchor, Neelu Vyas, a veteran who is third in the channel’s hierarchy, remains benched. The relevant clip was also excised from RSTV’s YouTube channel so that it does not show up in internet searches.
If the action against Vyas is a reminder of the politically fraught circumstances under which journalists at the parliamentary channel have been working since Naidu became vice president, the fact that the unprecedented reprimand came barely two weeks after she had complained about a senior RS official repeatedly messaging her and interfering with her work and also making “sexually coloured remarks” has also made present and past employees see red.
The channel is “owned” by the upper house of parliament and answerable to Naidu but has an editor-in-chief and CEO who are responsible for its day-to-day functioning. Rajya Sabha secretariat officials are not meant to interfere in editorial matters.
In an office memorandum dated August 22, 2018, RSTV editor-in-chief Rahul Mahajan accused Neelu Vyas of having raised an “unsubstantiated allegation” against the former prime minister, who passed away on August 16. “At the time when Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on his deathbed, out of context reference was made by you,” the memo states. “Because of your ungraded approach (sic) while anchoring on such an important issue, RSTV has faced embarrassment and had to apologies (sic).
Vyas was asked to submit an explanation within seven days. She was also told verbally that she would be taken off anchoring for two weeks. That period is still continuing.
The discussion in question occurred on August 16. Vajpayee’s death was believed to be imminent and the national broadcaster, Doordarshan, had prematurely declared that he had indeed passed away. Virtually all news channels, including RSTV, devoted the bulk of their programming that day to discussions about Vajpayee’s life with guests and anchors going into the minutiae of his political career.
After discussing Vajpayee’s attitude to Indira Gandhi and Nehru, Neelu Vyas asked one of the studio guests, Vijay Trivedi, author of a 2016 biography of Vajpayee, Haar Nahi Maanoonga, about the 1942 incident. “How did he reconcile to the fact that I am not going to raise slogans (against the British) … because he was always known for his nationalistic fervour.”
Far from treating the question as an “unsubstantiated allegation” – as RSTV’s editor described it in his note reprimanding the anchor – Trivedi said the incident in which the young Vajpayee was arrested and had then signed on an undertaking to not oppose the British did indeed take place.
“You have to remember when this incident happened, Atalji was 17. I have researched this in detail. I have been to the place, Bateshwar, near Agra… where this incident took place. A small movement was going on, and he was also present… when the police caught him and all this happened, and a letter was written which he signed under the influence of some important person.”
Trivedi added that there was no question of Vajpayee reconciling what happened then with his later life. “He never denied it, or confirmed it, or spoke about it but this does not mean anyone can question his nationalist character”.
The studio discussion then carried on over into aspects of Vajpayee’s life and nothing more was said about the 1942 issue on air or off until four days later when a Hindi language website ran a story on how the anchor’s question had upset the BJP and RSS.
Soon after, A.A. Rao, an additional secretary in the Rajya Sabha secretariat and a bureaucrat considered close to Vice President Naidu demanded that the channel take action.
(WhatsApp message sent to RSTV editor-in-chief Rahul Mahajan and widely shared within the organisation.)
According to RS secretariat sources, Naidu ordered the channel issue an apology when the matter was brought to his notice. It was soon after this that Mahajan issued his memo demanding an explanation from Neelu Vyas.
The channel also ran a ticker during its programming on August 22 apologising for the question the anchor had asked:
“During a live discussion on the life and contributions of former prime minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on August 22, a senior RSTV anchor made some out of the context and factually inaccurate references to Shri Vajpayee. RSTV sincerely regrets the same and apologises for it.”
Mahajan and Vyas both declined to comment on the apology but A.A. Rao confirmed to The Wirethat he had communicated his objections to RSTV’s editor-in-chief. Asked what was factually inaccurate about the anchor’s question, Rao said the context was everything, suggesting that it was inappropriate to have raised the issue that day when Vajpayee was on his death bed.
The Wire has learned that in her reply to the editor-in-chief’s memo, Neelu Vyas noted that her intention in asking Trivedi the question was to show “how a tall leader also had to face moments like these but he came out victoriously… By the question I asked to the panelists on August 16, the public was reminded of … [how Vajpayee] overcame all hurdles including the, forced upon, undertaking taken from him by the Britishers. By this the charisma of our late prime minister was enhanced…”
Harassment complaint
Present and former RSTV employees question the role played by A.A. Rao in escalating the issue within the channel given the fact that Neelu Vyas had filed a complaint on August 8, accusing Rao of harassment and interference, and of making a “sexually coloured” remark. The Rajya Sabha secretariat’s secretary, P.P.K. Ramacharyulu, told The Wire that the complaint was being handled “as per procedure” but declined to confirm whether it had been referred to the secretariat’s internal complaints committee.
“It is highly unfortunate that the high offices of Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman are failing to discharge their duties as established by law and practice in providing justice in cases of harassment of women,” Vyas has written in a letter to Naidu, sources in the Rajya Sabha secretariat told The Wire. “It was never easy for me to gather courage to protest and lodge a formal complaint against a senior officer, who openly flaunts his proximity to you, and stand up to fight for my rights. But the subsequent course of events now suggest that our system is reacting in a manner that is vindictive and conspiratorial against a victim of harassment… I seek justice and I wish to submit that if justice is denied to me, I will be compelled to approach National Commission for Women and/or honourable courts of justice.”
courtesy : thewire.in
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TraceX Guard Strengthens National Safety Against Mobile Cyber Threats
India is witnessing a sharp rise in trojanised Android APK scams, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit fake government, banking, LPG, challan, and welfare scheme apps to seize full remote control of victims’ smartphones.
Cybersecurity investigators warn that attackers are now widely deploying Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware, often powered by leaked builder kits such as CraxsRAT and heavily modified custom payload frameworks. Once installed, these malicious APKs can convert an ordinary Android phone into a fully controlled fraud device, enabling silent surveillance, banking theft, and mass scam propagation.
These malware campaigns are primarily being distributed through WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS phishing links, and fake APK download websites, where users are tricked into installing apps disguised as:
- e-Challan apps
- SBI KYC verification tools
- PM Yojana portals
- mParivahan clones
- LPG booking apps
- fake adult video call apps
As the scale of the threat intensifies, cybersecurity startup TraceX Labs has introduced TraceX Guard, positioning it as a frontline mobile defence platform against APK fraud, RAT infections, QR scams, and malicious permission abuse.
Fear-Based Social Engineering Behind the Surge
According to investigators, these frauds typically begin with panic-driven social engineering messages sent over WhatsApp or Telegram.
Common bait messages include:
- Your traffic challan has been issued
- Your SBI KYC is pending
- PM Yojana verification required
- Your LPG cylinder booking failed
- Your bank account will be blocked
These alerts often include fake challan numbers, vehicle details, Aadhaar-linked references, or forged bank notices, creating a sense of urgency that pushes victims to install the malicious APK without verification.
One of the most dangerous variants currently in circulation is a fake mParivahan-style application, which closely mimics India’s legitimate transport services interface while secretly embedding a hidden RAT payload.
How the Malware Takes Over Smartphones
Once installed, the malicious APK immediately requests dangerous permissions, including:
- Accessibility access
- SMS permissions
- Call logs
- Notifications
- File storage
- Battery optimization exemptions
Security researchers say Accessibility Service abuse remains the most critical attack vector, allowing the malware to silently:
- read screen contents
- detect banking and UPI apps
- auto-click Allow / Confirm / Pay buttons
- capture OTPs
- launch hidden overlays
- navigate banking sessions
- trigger silent fund transfers
Because these actions occur directly on the victim’s trusted device, attackers are often able to bypass traditional fraud detection systems.
Within minutes, victims may lose control over:
- bank balances
- UPI wallets
- Aadhaar and PAN scans
- contact lists
- personal photos and media
- incoming calls
- SMS OTPs
In many cases, the malware also self-propagates by forwarding malicious APK links through the victim’s own WhatsApp groups and Telegram chats, triggering a chain infection effect across trusted social circles.Fake RTO Challan APKs Become the Most Dangerous Variant
Among the most active campaigns, fake RTO challan APK scams have emerged as one of the most financially destructive.
Victims are first lured into paying a ₹1 “verification fee”, after which the malicious app requests highly sensitive information such as:
- card number
- expiry date
- CVV
- UPI PIN
- net banking credentials
- even ATM PINs
Cybersecurity experts stress that no legitimate government payment system ever asks for an ATM PIN inside an app, making this an immediate red flag.
Once payment details are entered, the embedded RAT intercepts OTPs and silently completes unauthorized transactions.
India’s Mobile Fraud Crisis Reaches Critical Levels
Investigators estimate that more than 70% of reported cyber fraud cases in India now originate from mobile devices, with millions of complaints linked to:
- malicious APKs
- phishing URLs
- QR scams
- RAT droppers
- banking session hijacks
- WhatsApp fraud chains
The impact is particularly severe across Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions, where smartphone adoption has expanded faster than awareness around:
- APK sideloading risks
- dangerous permissions
- fake banking overlays
- accessibility abuse
- WhatsApp APK scams
This has effectively turned Android smartphones into the primary battlefield of India’s financial cybercrime ecosystem.
TraceX Guard Introduced as a Real-Time Defence Layer
In response to this rapidly evolving threat landscape, TraceX Labs has launched TraceX Guard, an AI-powered multilingual Android security suite built specifically for India’s APK fraud ecosystem.
The platform offers:
- real-time APK scanning
- malicious permission detection
- hidden app discovery
- RAT behaviour monitoring
- QR & phishing URL safety grading
- OTP and SIM fraud alerts
- Wi-Fi hotspot verification
- ransomware defence
- India-specific scam intelligence feeds
- support for 10+ regional languages
Its offline-first AI architecture allows users to scan threats without uploading personal data, making it especially useful for privacy-conscious users and low-connectivity regions.
TraceX Labs says the system is specifically trained to detect patterns used in:
- fake challan scams
- counterfeit SBI APKs
- PM Yojana malware
- wedding invitation APK attacks
- honey-trap adult apps
- Telegram-based RAT droppers
From Phishing to Malware-Driven Financial Warfare
Cybersecurity analysts say this marks a major shift in India’s digital threat landscape.
What once began as simple phishing links has now evolved into malware-driven financial warfare at scale, where a single infected smartphone can silently compromise:
- families
- WhatsApp groups
- banking accounts
- local communities
- social trust networks
With losses from mobile-first fraud already running into tens of thousands of crores, experts believe the future of cyber defence will increasingly depend on preventive mobile security tools capable of stopping unsafe APKs before installation.
In that battle, TraceX Guard is emerging as one of the most important first lines of defence for India’s digital users.
Download Now : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tracexlabs.guard
