New Delhi, July 26 : Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that the government has ordered the CBI to probe the Cambridge Analytica data breach case over doubts of illegally obtaining data of Indians.

"The first incident was reports of breach data of Facebook, wherein it was reported that number of their users had been compromised by Cambridge Analytica."

"Immediately notice were issued to the two companies and their response sought. Facebook responded and they have streamilned their internal processes regarding handling of personal data," he told the Rajya Sabha.

Prasad also said that the Facebook stated the case of "Cambridge Analytica", and "it was a case of breach of trust". They promised to take various other steps to ensure that such breach do not reoccur.

About Cambridge Analytica, he said: "Cambridge Analytica, on the other hand gave initial response that the data of the Indians were not breached but this was not in confirmity what was reported by Facebook.

"It also did not respond to the subsequent, therefore it is suspected that Cambridge Analyitca may have been involved in illegally obtaining data of Indians which could be misused."

"The government has entrusted the issue to be investigated by the CBI for possible violation of the Information Technology Act 2000," Prasad added.

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Bengaluru (PTI): The complainants, who were granted sanction by the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot after they sought an order for probe from the special court against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a site allotment case, on Tuesday hailed the High Court's verdict dismissing his petition challenging the approval.

The Chief Minister had challenged the approval given by Gehlot for an investigation against him in the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in a prime locality.

The Governor on August 16 accorded sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions submitted to him by the three complainants -- Abraham T J, Snehamayi Krishna and Pradeep Kumar S P.

“We had petitioned in the High Court seeking the dismissal of Siddaramaiah's plea. Whatever objections we had filed, the order has come accordingly, which is a matter of pleasure for us,” Abraham told reporters soon after a single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna dismissed Siddaramaiah’s petition.

When told that the Chief Minister may challenge the order in the division bench, Abraham said: “Let him challenge in the division bench. He will use his legal rights. Since he is moving the (High Court's) division bench, we are filing a caveat there.”

Krishna said: “We had brought to the notice of the High Court that Siddaramaiah’s role is there in the irregularities. Accordingly, the Honourable Court gave its order.”

Krishna claimed that there was "unshakable" documentary evidence available against the Chief Minister. “He will lose whichever court he goes to."

After completing the hearings on the petition in six sittings from August 19, Justice Nagaprasanna on September 12 reserved the verdict.

On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.