Odisha blackmailer' Archana Nag's intriguing life may inspire film project
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Hailing from a poor family in Kalahandi district, once dubbed as the hunger zone of Odisha, Archana Nag now owns a palatial house with imported interior decorations, luxury cars, four high-breed dogs and a white horse.
The rags to riches story of Archana, who was arrested last week on the charge of extortion, was so intriguing that an Odia filmmaker has planned to make a movie on her life.
In the police records, however, the 26-year-old woman is a blackmailer who allegedly extorted money from rich and influential people such as politicians, businessmen and film producers with threats of making public photos and videos of their intimate moments.
Born in Lanjigarh in Kalahandi, Archana was brought up in Kesinga, a nondescript town in the same district, where her mother was working, before she came to Bhubaneswar in 2015.
Police sources said that Archana initially worked for a private security firm and later joined a beauty parlour where she met Jagabandhu Chand of Balasore district and married him in 2018. It is alleged that she ran a sex racket while working in the beauty parlour.
Jagabandhu operated a used car showroom and knew monied people like politicians, builders, businessmen and others. His and Archana's photographs with influential persons including some MLAs have gone viral on social media creating a state-wide hue and cry.
Archana also befriended rich and influential people and is alleged to have provided them with feminine company. Police claimed that she then took intimate pictures of these powerful persons and later blackmailed them for money.
In a complaint made at Nayapally police station, a film producer alleged that Archana demanded Rs 3 crore from him after showing him his photos with other girls.
She was arrested on October 6 on the basis of another complaint by a girl who accused Archana of using her in this racket.
Odia filmmaker Sridhar Martha said he has planned to make a feature film on the life of Archana.
The police have urged the Economic Offence Wing to probe into the financial issues related to the Archana blackmailing case.
An internal assessment made by the police revealed that the couple has acquired properties worth Rs 30 crore in a span of only four years from 2018 to 2022, a senior police officer said.
Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said, so far only two cases have been registered against Archana in this connection.
If other blackmailed victims lodge complaints against her, the police will initiate action, the DCP said.
Archana's bank statements are being examined by the police.
Politics has also started playing its part in this tale of sex, money and betrayal.
Opposition Congress MLA S S Saluja claimed that her link with the ruling BJD lawmakers and ministers, if exposed, could lead to the collapse of the 22-year-old Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha.
He alleged that an effort is on to shield ruling party MLAs, ministers and youth leaders who were stuck in the trap, as had been done in some other cases earlier.
BJP Bhubaneswar unit president Babu Singh also claimed that as many as 25 political leaders including 18 MLAs and ministers, most of them belonging to the BJD, were in Archana's network.
Rejecting the allegations, the BJD asked the Congress and the BJP to provide evidence that its leaders were involved in the matter.
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CCI slaps Meta with Rs 213 crore fine over WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update
New Delhi, Nov 18: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on social media major Meta for unfair business ways with respect to WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021.
Besides, the competition watchdog has directed Meta to “cease and desist” from anti-competitive practices.
Meta and WhatsApp have also been asked to implement certain behavioural remedies within a defined timeline to address the anti-competition issues, according to a CCI order.
The regulator has called for implementing various remedial measures, including barring WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years.
Among other directions, CCI has said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
The Competition Commission of India (Commission) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for abusing its dominant position,
Passing the order against abuse of dominance, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said this (penalty) relates to how WhatsApp's 2021 Privacy Policy was implemented and how user data was collected and shared with other Meta companies.
For the case, CCI delineated two relevant markets -- OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India, and online display advertising in India. "Meta Group operating through WhatsApp was found to be dominant in the market for OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India. "Furthermore, it was also found that Meta holds a leading position compared to its competitors in online display advertising in India," CCI said in a release.
Starting from January 2021, WhatsApp notified users about updates to its terms of service and privacy policies.
The in-app notification, effective from February 8, 2021, stated that users were required to accept these terms, including expanded scope of data collection as well as mandatory data sharing with Meta companies, to continue using WhatsApp.
Under the previous privacy policy dated August 25, 2016, WhatsApp users were given the option to decide whether they wanted to share their data with Facebook, the release said.
"However, with the latest policy update in 2021, WhatsApp made data sharing with Meta mandatory for all users, removing the earlier option to opt-out. As a result, users had to accept the new terms, which include data sharing with Meta, in order to continue using the platform," it added.
The watchdog has concluded that the 2021 policy update by WhatsApp on a "take-it-or-leave-it" basis constitutes an imposition of unfair condition under the Competition Act, as it compels all users to accept expanded data collection terms and sharing of data within Meta Group without any opt out.
"Given the network effects and lack of effective alternatives, the 2021 update forces users to comply, undermining their autonomy, and constitutes an abuse of Meta's dominant position. Accordingly, the Commission finds that Meta (through WhatsApp) has contravened Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the Act," it said.
Further, CCI said that sharing of WhatsApp users' data between Meta companies for purposes other than providing WhatsApp Service creates an entry barrier for the rivals of Meta and thus, results in denial of market access in the display advertisement market.
According to the regulator, Meta has engaged in leveraging its dominant position in the OTT messaging apps through smartphones to protect its position in the online display advertising market in contravention of the competition law.
CCI has barred WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years and the debarment period will start from the date of receipt of this order.
With respect to sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than advertising, the regulator said WhatsApp's policy should include a detailed explanation of the user data shared with other Meta companies or Meta company Products.
"This explanation should specify the purpose of data sharing, linking each type of data to its corresponding purpose," it said.
The watchdog also said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
Regarding sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services, CCI said all users in India (including users who have accepted 2021 update) will be provided with the choice to manage such data sharing by way of an opt-out option prominently through an in-app notification.
Also, the regulator has asked for the option to review and modify their choice with respect to such sharing of data through a prominent tab in settings of WhatsApp application, and all future policy updates should comply with these requirements.
