Police arrest couple for smuggling Rs18 crore worth hydroponic ganja
Bengaluru (PTI): Bengaluru police on Thursday said they have arrested a couple that allegedly worked as mules for an international drug syndicate, for smuggling over 18 kg of hydroponic ganja worth Rs 18.60 crore into the city.
They had allegedly brought the drugs from Thailand into the city, by evading authorities including those from the Customs, at the airport, by concealing the ganja in food packets in a bag, official sources said.
The couple, a 34-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, on November 30, were arrested by the Mahalakshmi Layout police, based on a tip off they received about large quantities of narcotic substance being carried, supposedly to deliver them to the local contact.
According to police, the couple, which travelled from Bangkok reportedly on a tourist visa, had no criminal records, which may be one of the reasons for choosing them as mules.
The police have registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and two mobiles have been seized from the accused.
The court has remanded the couple to police custody for 10 days.
Police are also likely to look into how the couple managed to evade airport and customs authorities.
Further investigation is underway, and information is being gathered about other suspects possibly involved in the case, officials said.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
