Whatsapp spyware: Hyderabad lawyer's number compromised
Hyderabad: A city-based civil rights advocate has been targeted by the Pegasus spyware, which infected about 1,400 civil rights activists, lawyers and journalists across the world.
Balla Ravindranath said he started receiving messages from an unknown international number to his Whatsapp claiming to be from a Canada-based Citizen Labs since October 7, saying they were conducting a survey on the hacking, which the lawyer ignored.
"I thought they (the messages)might be spam or fraud. Subsequently there were some whatsapp calls also from the same number. I ignored them too. On October 29 , I received an official message from Whatsapp saying that my phone may be compromised. I ignored that also. Later when the company filed the lawsuit (against NSO group), I realised that my phone was hacked," Ravindarnath told PTI.
On October 31, Facebook-owned WhatsApp had said Indian journalists and human rights activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using an Israeli spyware Peagasus.
WhatsApp had said it was suing NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm, that is reportedly behind the technology that helped unnamed entities' spies hack into phones of roughly 1,400 users spanning across four continents and included diplomats, political dissidents, journalists and senior government officials.
However, the company didn't disclose the details or the number of people affected in India. WhatsApp had on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in a US federal court against NSO Group.
Ravindranath is the general secretary of the committee for release of political prisoners (CRPP), which was described as a "frontal organisation" of banned CPI (Maoist) by the Bhadradri Kothagudem Police.
The police also alleged that Ravindranath, among other has been working for Maoists in urban areas to propagate the ideology. However, the allegation was rejected by the lawyer.
He said as an organisation they were working for the release of "political prisoners" including Maoists.
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SC to hear cases through video conferencing on Mondays, Fridays for optimum fuel utilisation
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear cases exclusively through video conference on Mondays and Fridays, and judges "unanimously resolved" to encourage car-pooling arrangements amongst themselves in order to ensure optimum fuel utilisation.
The move came following a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on cutting down avoidable expenditure due to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
"Matters listed on miscellaneous days (i.e. on Mondays, Fridays, or such other days as declared to be miscellaneous), and matters listed during the Court's partial working days, shall be heard by video-conferencing only.
"The Registry shall ensure that links for the video-conferencing are sent in a timely manner, stable video-conferencing facilities are maintained and timely technical assistance facilities are extended so as to avoid any inconvenience to the Hon'ble Court," a circular issued said.
The communication from the apex court also said that till further orders, up to 50 per cent of staff in each branch or section of the registry are permitted to work from home (WFH) for up to two days every week, provided that the remaining staff remain available in the office to ensure uninterrupted functioning.
"The Registrar concerned shall ensure that a weekly roster is prepared before the commencement of the week. Staff who are permitted to work from home are directed to remain available on the telephone and be ready to attend office, in case of requirement, at any time.
"The concerned officers shall also ensure the timely completion of various tasks assigned to them. If, after considering the essential nature of the work in a branch or section, the concerned Registrar is of the opinion that a work-from-home arrangement is not effective, the Registrar may restrict or modify such arrangements for that branch or section," the circular said.
