Bengaluru: 31-yr-old techie arrested for accessing Aadhaar data

coastaldigest.com news network
August 4, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 4: Bengaluru city police has arrested a young techie on the charge of accessing Aadhaar data following a complaint filed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) last week.

The arrested is Abhinav Srivastav, 31, an IIT-Kharagpur graduate, who is currently employed by ANI Technologies, which owns the Ola brand, as a software development engineer. He has been accused of accessing Aadhaar information in January 2017 through an app named ‘Aadhaar e-KYC’, which was available on the Google Play store till recently.

Police said Srivastav had developed five apps and made ₹40,000 from advertisements displayed on them. Police are now scanning all his apps to see whether more violations were committed. The Aadhaar e-KYC app was downloaded over 50,000 times from the Google Play store since its launch in January, the police said.

City Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said that based on the complaint, six teams of police comprising 26 personnel were formed to nab Srivastav and they tracked him down to Koramangala after a week. He has been accused of using the services of another app, ‘e-hospital’, which is listed as an authenticated user agency (AUA) authorised to access UIDAI data.

A senior police officer said there were around 400 entities that have been authorised to access the data for authentication. Srivastav’s company was not among those authorised.

A native of Kanpur, Srivastav completed his M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry from IIT-Kharagpur and joined a private firm in 2010 as a security researcher. He launched Qarth technologies in 2012 and shut it down in 2016 owing to financial reasons. In March 2016, Ola announced that it had acquired Qarth and its mobile payments product, X-Pay. Srivastav then joined another private firm before joining ANI Technologies last year.

Investigation revealed that the e-hospital company is not aware of his activities. However, further probe is on to ascertain the facts.

The ability of a software engineer to bypass strict protocols set in place by the UIDAI to access critical data puts the spotlight firmly on the security measures employed to protect Aadhaar data.

Police investigation have revealed that Srivastav had piggy-backed on the infrastructure of another app for hacking the data base.

“Aadhaar related information, legally housed by the National Informatics Centre server, was illegally and without authorisation accessed and used to support this mobile application,” said the police statement.

Srivastav, in order to give his ‘Aadhaar e-KYC’ app an air of authenticity, hacked into the server of the NIC, which houses the e-hospital system, which is a solution for government hospitals to handle patient care and other services, including medical records management.

As part of its regulations, the UIDAI accords certain agencies the title of an AUA, which can then provide Aadhaar-enabled services to the cardholder. For authentication, these agencies have to connect to the Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) through the services of a Authentication Service Agency (ASA). ASAs are bound by regulations that stipulate encryption of data and logging of access.

The 'e-hospital’ platform had access as a registered AUA. Srivastav used this server to route his app requests for data access and managed to steal the data, the police said.

Question raised

In 2016, a paper titled ‘Privacy and Security of Aadhaar: A Computer Science Perspective’ by the Computer Science and Engineering Department of IIT-Delhi raised the question of leakage of Aadhaar number from an AUA.

The paper, which also discusses several other possible threat scenarios, said, “This, however, does not fully mitigate the risks and the possibility of leakage of the Aadhaar number from an AUA, either from the database, or during “Know Your Customer” (KYC) processes, or even during availing services, cannot be ruled out. In particular, there appear to be no safeguards or even guidelines, either technical or legal, on how the Aadhaar number should be maintained and used by various AUAs in a cryptographically secure way, and how to prevent the Aadhaar number of an individual from becoming public.”

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News Network
February 1,2025

The Union Budget 2025 has brought significant revisions to the income tax structure, aiming to address long-standing demands of middle-class taxpayers, particularly salaried individuals. The newly proposed tax slabs and rebate enhancements are expected to provide substantial relief, making taxation more streamlined and beneficial for the majority.

REVISED INCOME TAX SLABS

The proposed tax slabs under the new regime are as follows:
•    Income up to Rs 4 lakh – Nil
•    Rs 4-8 lakh – 5%
•    Rs 8-12 lakh – 10%
•    Rs 12-16 lakh – 15%
•    Rs 16-20 lakh – 20%
•    Rs 20-24 lakh – 25%
•    Above Rs 24 lakh – 30% (plus applicable cess and surcharge)

Currently, the tax slabs under the new regime are:
•    Income up to Rs 3 lakh – Nil
•    Rs 3-7 lakh – 5%
•    Rs 7-10 lakh – 10%
•    Rs 10-12 lakh – 15%
•    Rs 12-15 lakh – 20%
•    Above Rs 15 lakh – 30%

ENHANCED REBATE UNDER SECTION 87A

The budget proposes an increase in the income cap for availing the rebate under Section 87A from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, while the rebate amount will rise from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000. This effectively means that individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually (or Rs 1 lakh per month) will not have to pay any income tax under the new regime, excluding special rate income such as capital gains.

Additionally, salaried taxpayers can benefit from the standard deduction of Rs 75,000, pushing the tax-free income threshold to Rs 12.75 lakh.

Recent data suggests that 78% of taxpayers have already transitioned to the new tax regime. With these latest reforms, the government anticipates an even greater shift towards the default new regime.

TDS AND TCS RATE RATIONALISATION

The government has proposed selective rationalisation of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rates, which include:

•    Senior Citizens’ Interest Income – The tax deduction threshold will be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

•    TDS on Rent – The annual exemption cap will rise from Rs 2.40 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

•    TCS on Foreign Remittances – The threshold cap will increase from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Additionally, the higher 20% TDS deduction will now apply only in cases where the PAN is inoperative, ensuring that compliant taxpayers do not face undue deductions. These adjustments are expected to ease compliance burdens for taxpayers.

UPDATED TAX RETURN FILING WINDOW EXTENDED TO 4 YEARS

Currently, taxpayers can file an updated return within 24 months from the end of the relevant assessment year, provided it results in additional tax payments. The new proposal extends this window to 48 months, offering taxpayers more flexibility to rectify their tax filings and remain compliant.

The Union Budget 2025’s tax reforms reflect a concerted effort to reduce the financial strain on taxpayers while simplifying the taxation process. These changes mark a significant shift in the government's approach to personal taxation, with a clear emphasis on inclusivity and fairness.

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News Network
January 22,2025

yellapuraccident.jpg

Yellapura: A devastating accident occurred early Wednesday morning in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others critically injured. The tragedy unfolded near the Kageri petrol station in Yellapur when a truck carrying fruits and vegetables plunged into a valley and overturned.

The truck, which was transporting over 40 traders, was en route from Savanuru in Haveri district to Kumta market in Uttara Kannada. Among the passengers were fruit vendors heading to the Yellapura fair to sell their produce. The accident occurred on the Savanur-Hubballi road, as confirmed by M. Narayana, the Superintendent of Police of Uttara Kannada.

“At approximately 5:30 a.m., the truck driver attempted to give way to another vehicle and veered too far to the left, causing the truck to fall into a valley approximately 50 meters deep,” said SP Narayana.

Victims have been identified as:

Fayaz Imam Saab Jamkhandi (45)

Wasim Virullah Mudageri (35)

Ijaz Mustak Mulla (20)

Sadiq Bhasha Farash (30)

Ghulam Hussain Jawali (40)

Imtiaz Mamajafar Mulakeri (36)

Alfaaz Jafar Mandakki (25)

Jilani Abdul Jakhati (25)

Aslam Babuli Benny (24)

Immediate Response

Upon receiving information about the accident, police rushed to the scene and coordinated the rescue operations. The injured were swiftly transported to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi for treatment. Tragically, eight individuals died on the spot, while another succumbed to critical injuries shortly after. The absence of a protective wall on the road in the valley has been highlighted as a contributing factor.

“Many passengers sustained serious injuries, and the death toll could rise,” said police officials. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Community in Mourning

This tragic incident has left the local community in shock, as families and friends mourn the loss of lives. Authorities are urging caution and have reiterated the need for safety measures on roads in vulnerable areas. Further updates on the condition of the injured are awaited.

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News Network
January 24,2025

Bengaluru, Jan 24: Following several reported suicides allegedly caused by harassment from Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday acknowledged that the current laws are insufficient in dealing with the highhandedness of these institutions in the state.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Parameshwara confirmed widespread complaints of MFI-related harassment, stating that existing laws were ineffective in curbing the issue. The Congress government plans to amend the law to ensure stricter regulations for MFIs.

"The reports from our department indicate that current laws are inadequate, and they lack the necessary strength to curb this menace," Parameshwara said. He added that new, stringent laws would be framed to regulate the MFIs, with the Congress government taking steps in that direction. In the meantime, officials have been instructed to take immediate action regarding ongoing harassment cases.

Explaining the situation, Parameshwara highlighted that MFIs often demand multiple signatures from loan recipients, which they might not fully understand. "This leads to forced raids, seizures of properties, and other actions," he noted, adding that such practices need to be addressed under law.

Law Minister H.K. Patil and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have also taken note of the issue. Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting on January 25 to discuss the alarming rise in cases and the ineffectiveness of current laws.

The issue has sparked public outcry, with victims’ families, including the wife of a suicide victim, sending symbolic protests such as mangalsutras to Parameshwara, demanding action against the MFI staff involved. Numerous petitions have been filed in Deputy Commissioners' offices across the state, urging government intervention to stop MFI harassment.

In response, opposition leaders, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP’s R. Ashoka, and Basavaraj Bommai, have accused the Congress government of losing control over MFIs, enabling the widespread exploitation of vulnerable citizens.

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