New kind of ''Jihad'' in Karnataka through Waqf Board, alleges Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
Ballari (PTI): Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday alleged that a new kind of "Jihad" is taking place across Karnataka with the Waqf Board claiming ownership of lands belonging to farmers, temples and others.
Hitting out at the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said the ruling party has reached "height of appeasement politics," and alleged that it has in a way made appeasement of minorities its "goal."
"Across the state a new kind of 'Jihad' is happening through Waqf. Looking at the conduct of the Congress party and Siddaramaiah, they come across as hypocrites...," Joshi told reporters here.
Congress leaders are claiming that BJP had promised in its manifesto that it will protect the Waqf properties, he said. "Yes. We had said. It is on record...what we have said is existing Waqf properties that have been encroached upon and looted by senior Congress leaders will be saved."
"They (Congress leaders) have taken illegal gratification worth thousands of crores (of rupees) from these lands, in the form of lease and rent," Joshi alleged.
The Anwar Manippady report says that Waqf properties have been misused by very senior Congress leaders, Joshi said. "We had said that we will protect those lands. What are you (Congress govt) doing now? lands of Mutts and temples are being claimed by Waqf. I'm asking Siddaramaiah, what are you trying to do?"
"This is a big conspiracy. For the Congress party, the state and country don't matter. They have a soft corner for terrorists...what is happening? What has happened to the Congress party, have they lost their mind?," he asked.
Manippady, as the then chairman of the Karnataka State Minority Commission, had prepared the report and submitted it to the government in March 2012 when the BJP was in power. It was later tabled in the legislature.
"What is now happening (now) is, using Waqf, lands belonging to farmers, individuals, temples, Mutts, and in some cases entire villages, are being claimed," Joshi alleged.
There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties. Similar charges have surfaced from a few other places subsequently, and also by some organisations and religious institutions like Mutts.
With the row escalating, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directed officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified.
Joshi also claimed that the Congress government in the state is now preparing to withdraw cases booked in KG Halli and DJ halli riots cases, in which a Congress Dalit MLA's house was burned. "I have credible information that they are withdrawing those cases also."
He pointed out that in spite of the ban on Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the court upholding it, 125 cases against them were withdrawn by the Congress government earlier. Also, criminal cases filed in Hubballi riot incidents involving a mob attack on the police in 2022, including those booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), were withdrawn recently.
Joshi expressed confidence about NDA winning all the three Assembly seats that are going for by-polls in the state on November 13.
He said in the coming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, NDA's win will "surpass" its victory in the recent Haryana poll.
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TraceX Guard Strengthens National Safety Against Mobile Cyber Threats
India is witnessing a sharp rise in trojanised Android APK scams, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit fake government, banking, LPG, challan, and welfare scheme apps to seize full remote control of victims’ smartphones.
Cybersecurity investigators warn that attackers are now widely deploying Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware, often powered by leaked builder kits such as CraxsRAT and heavily modified custom payload frameworks. Once installed, these malicious APKs can convert an ordinary Android phone into a fully controlled fraud device, enabling silent surveillance, banking theft, and mass scam propagation.
These malware campaigns are primarily being distributed through WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS phishing links, and fake APK download websites, where users are tricked into installing apps disguised as:
- e-Challan apps
- SBI KYC verification tools
- PM Yojana portals
- mParivahan clones
- LPG booking apps
- fake adult video call apps
As the scale of the threat intensifies, cybersecurity startup TraceX Labs has introduced TraceX Guard, positioning it as a frontline mobile defence platform against APK fraud, RAT infections, QR scams, and malicious permission abuse.
Fear-Based Social Engineering Behind the Surge
According to investigators, these frauds typically begin with panic-driven social engineering messages sent over WhatsApp or Telegram.
Common bait messages include:
- Your traffic challan has been issued
- Your SBI KYC is pending
- PM Yojana verification required
- Your LPG cylinder booking failed
- Your bank account will be blocked
These alerts often include fake challan numbers, vehicle details, Aadhaar-linked references, or forged bank notices, creating a sense of urgency that pushes victims to install the malicious APK without verification.
One of the most dangerous variants currently in circulation is a fake mParivahan-style application, which closely mimics India’s legitimate transport services interface while secretly embedding a hidden RAT payload.
How the Malware Takes Over Smartphones
Once installed, the malicious APK immediately requests dangerous permissions, including:
- Accessibility access
- SMS permissions
- Call logs
- Notifications
- File storage
- Battery optimization exemptions
Security researchers say Accessibility Service abuse remains the most critical attack vector, allowing the malware to silently:
- read screen contents
- detect banking and UPI apps
- auto-click Allow / Confirm / Pay buttons
- capture OTPs
- launch hidden overlays
- navigate banking sessions
- trigger silent fund transfers
Because these actions occur directly on the victim’s trusted device, attackers are often able to bypass traditional fraud detection systems.
Within minutes, victims may lose control over:
- bank balances
- UPI wallets
- Aadhaar and PAN scans
- contact lists
- personal photos and media
- incoming calls
- SMS OTPs
In many cases, the malware also self-propagates by forwarding malicious APK links through the victim’s own WhatsApp groups and Telegram chats, triggering a chain infection effect across trusted social circles.Fake RTO Challan APKs Become the Most Dangerous Variant
Among the most active campaigns, fake RTO challan APK scams have emerged as one of the most financially destructive.
Victims are first lured into paying a ₹1 “verification fee”, after which the malicious app requests highly sensitive information such as:
- card number
- expiry date
- CVV
- UPI PIN
- net banking credentials
- even ATM PINs
Cybersecurity experts stress that no legitimate government payment system ever asks for an ATM PIN inside an app, making this an immediate red flag.
Once payment details are entered, the embedded RAT intercepts OTPs and silently completes unauthorized transactions.
India’s Mobile Fraud Crisis Reaches Critical Levels
Investigators estimate that more than 70% of reported cyber fraud cases in India now originate from mobile devices, with millions of complaints linked to:
- malicious APKs
- phishing URLs
- QR scams
- RAT droppers
- banking session hijacks
- WhatsApp fraud chains
The impact is particularly severe across Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions, where smartphone adoption has expanded faster than awareness around:
- APK sideloading risks
- dangerous permissions
- fake banking overlays
- accessibility abuse
- WhatsApp APK scams
This has effectively turned Android smartphones into the primary battlefield of India’s financial cybercrime ecosystem.
TraceX Guard Introduced as a Real-Time Defence Layer
In response to this rapidly evolving threat landscape, TraceX Labs has launched TraceX Guard, an AI-powered multilingual Android security suite built specifically for India’s APK fraud ecosystem.
The platform offers:
- real-time APK scanning
- malicious permission detection
- hidden app discovery
- RAT behaviour monitoring
- QR & phishing URL safety grading
- OTP and SIM fraud alerts
- Wi-Fi hotspot verification
- ransomware defence
- India-specific scam intelligence feeds
- support for 10+ regional languages
Its offline-first AI architecture allows users to scan threats without uploading personal data, making it especially useful for privacy-conscious users and low-connectivity regions.
TraceX Labs says the system is specifically trained to detect patterns used in:
- fake challan scams
- counterfeit SBI APKs
- PM Yojana malware
- wedding invitation APK attacks
- honey-trap adult apps
- Telegram-based RAT droppers
From Phishing to Malware-Driven Financial Warfare
Cybersecurity analysts say this marks a major shift in India’s digital threat landscape.
What once began as simple phishing links has now evolved into malware-driven financial warfare at scale, where a single infected smartphone can silently compromise:
- families
- WhatsApp groups
- banking accounts
- local communities
- social trust networks
With losses from mobile-first fraud already running into tens of thousands of crores, experts believe the future of cyber defence will increasingly depend on preventive mobile security tools capable of stopping unsafe APKs before installation.
In that battle, TraceX Guard is emerging as one of the most important first lines of defence for India’s digital users.
Download Now : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tracexlabs.guard
