Alt News Co-Founder Mohammed Zubair wins 2023 Freedom of Expression award in Journalism
Ahmedabad: Fact-Checking Wizard and Co-Founder of the fact checking website Alt-News Mohammed Zubair has been honoured with the 2023 Freedom of Expression award in Journalism by Index on Censorship, a non-profit organisation headquartered in London.
Index on Censorship, a non-governmental organisation advocating for the freedom of expression in its ‘X’ post, recognized Zubair's efforts against fake news and disinformation in India, even after facing attacks, slander and jail. “We all share in his (Zubair’s) campaign for transparent and accurate news,” the post further read.
The annual Freedom of Expression Awards are presented in four categories including arts, campaigning, journalism and trustee, to individuals who have made a “significant impact in the fight against censorship worldwide.” The awardees are honored at a celebration in London and also receive financial aid.
The organisation produces a quarterly magazine of the same name from London, In addition also publishes work by censored writers and artists, promotes debate, and monitors threats to free speech.
Upon receiving the award, Zubair expressed that it will “serve as a flicker of hope” for his young colleagues.
In a video posted by the Organisation, Zubair remarked that, “It’s both an honor and privilege to receive the [Index on Censorship] Freedom of Expression [award], especially during the period when fake news and disinformation has emerged as a Frankenstein monster, in my country, India.”
The fact-checker further expressed gratitude to those who supported him while he faced attacks, slanders and was jailed for doing his job.
Index on Censorship had previously, while announcing the nominees in September,highlighted Zubair’s work and his arrest in June last year. It also commended both Zubair’s and the news outlet’s efforts to report on hate speeches, actions of vigilante groups and inter-communal violence in India.
Alongside Zubair, other nominees in the category included Franco-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi and Bilan Media, Somalia’s first women-only media organisation.
The fact-checker spent 24 days in jail last year before being granted bail by the apex court. Currently he is facing six cases in Uttar Pradesh and one in Delhi on charges of allegedly promoting enmity between groups and hurting religious sentiments.
Our journalism winner is Mohammad Zubair, one of the founding members of @AltNews. His fight against fake news and disinformation in #India has led to him facing attacks, slander and even jail.
— Index on Censorship (@IndexCensorship) October 19, 2023
We all share in his campaign for transparent and accurate news. #IndexAwards23 pic.twitter.com/l9qN7Kgwb0
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Bank account in Ramgarh tracked for fraudulent fund transactions across 24 states, 4 arrested
Ramgarh (Jharkhand) (PTI): Jharkhand police on Thursday said it has unearthed a network of interstate cyber frauds and arrested four miscreants for fraudulent transactions through a bank account in Ramgarh district after complaints of 274 suspected transactions in 24 states.
The states where complaints for fraudulent transactions were registered included Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
The action followed inputs received through 'Samanvaya portal', a centralised, web-based platform launched by the Union Home Ministry to curb cybercrime.
"We arrested four cyber miscreants after a current account with Kuju (Ramgarh) branch of the State Bank of India was found to have registered suspected financial transactions in 24 states with the help of the Pratibimba portal of the Home Ministry through the Samanvaya portal," Ramgarh Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Lunayat said.
During the probe, police found that the account was opened under the MSME Udyam Registration scheme in the name of Shree Ganesh Enterprises, he said.
The account had been linked to as many as 274 complaints from different states related to cyber fraud and illegal fund transfers.
The registered proprietors of the enterprise were identified as Rahul Gupta (37), Ravi Kumar Verma (34), and Ajay Sharma (33), all residents of Ramgarh district, a statement from the Ramgarh police said.
During interrogation, Rahul Gupta and Ravi Kumar Verma revealed that they had opened multiple current accounts at the behest of Ritesh Agrawal alias Munna (40) and Sonu Kumar Jha (34).
They admitted receiving Rs 1.2 lakh in exchange for facilitating the opening of these accounts.
"The accused further confessed to sharing OTPs, activating mobile banking services, and handing over control of the accounts to the main operators through WhatsApp and Telegram groups. These accounts were then allegedly used to route fraudulent transactions.
Police said mobile data analysis of the accused led to the recovery of crucial digital evidence, including details of SIM cards, bank accounts, passbooks, ATM cards, QR code scanners, Aadhaar cards, and PAN cards shared through messaging platforms.
A total of four accused have been arrested so far and sent to judicial custody.
A case has been registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Further investigation is underway, the police said.
