356 cyber offences with political motive reported in 2020, reveals 2023 report on Status of Policing in India

All over India 356 cyber offences with political motive were reported in 2020. In 2016, there were 40 such reported offences, 139 in 2017, 218 in 2018 and 316 in 2019 all over India. Bihar reported 7 cyber crime offences with a reportedly political motive in 2020. It had reported 3 such offences in 2016.

In 2020, Tamil Nadu reported 108 cases, the highest number of such offences followed by 73 offences in Uttar Pradesh (UP). UP had reported 90 cases in 2019. Andhra Pradesh reported 67 cases in 2020 and 88 cases in 2019.   

Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have the highest number of social media monitoring cells. 

The high number of social media monitoring cells in these states is highly unusual in a context where the limitations imposed on State for surveillance are not properly legally defined. Such cells are presumed to be functioning without any kind of constitutional or judicial oversight in the absence of data protection laws. This provides them wide discretion to conduct digital surveillance of citizens. The conduct of Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana and Punjab is noteworthy in this regard. 

Bihar has 127 CCTVs available with the police as on January 1, 2022. The information obtained under RTI Act reveals that Bihar 1056 police stations are under CCTV coverage as of 2021. 952 police stations are installed with functioning CCTV cameras. This amounts to CCTV compliance in over 90 percent of State's police stations. The State has installed 5 facial recognition technology (FRT) system but only 1 is active. 

The State has 1 cyber crime police station, 48 cyber crime cells and 48 social media monitoring cells as of 2021. Bihar reported 11 cyber crime cases registered under the Information Technology Act, 1402 cyber crime cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 2021.

These details have come to light from the recent "Status of Policing in India Report 2023:Surveillance and the Question of Privacy" by Lokniti-CSDS and Common Cause.

The report recalls how even in incidents where there is clear violation of the law, such as the Bhagalpur blinding case, the larger public opinion was in favour of the accused police officers. 

Drawing on the 1986 report of the Justice N.N. Singh Inquiry Commission in the “Bhagalpur Blindings” case which indicted several police officials for their involvement in the blinding of over 30 under-trial prisoners by pouring acid into their eyes during interrogation, allegedly to extract confessions, this 2023 report underlines that the uninformed perception of majority regarding the utility of CCTVs, social media monitoring cells, facial recognition technology is not an indicator of their appropriateness. 

The report points out that the majoritarian public opinion need not always be taken at face value or seen as a justification for acts that go against human rights and constitutional values.

Forced to have Biometric Aadhaar? File an affidavit in Supreme Court before by 3rd August to get relief

  Court wants specific instances of violations of its order

 Biometric profiling promotes genetically determined caste system

 1^st August, 2015: As per Supreme Court’s website the case against biometric aadhaar number is “Likely to be Listed on: 04/08/2015”. Earlier, on 30^th July, 2015, the Court said that after hearing the whole matter if it found reasons they would give whatever order was necessary. The judges were concerned about denial of any service to any Indian resident because they did not have an aadhaar and asked for specific instances of violations of is orders. It wanted affidavit stating the same to enable it to pass orders in this regard.

 Gopal Subramanian, Senior Advocate for the petitioner seeking scrapping of 12 digit biometric aadhaar number project concluded his arguments raising the issue of governments and their institutions violating Supreme Court’s orders. He underlined the issue of inter connectivity of various databases and seeding of aadhaar into all the databases. The counsel sought enforcement of court’s orders and sought immediate protection of all the children from biometric profiling. From Government’s side Additional Solicitor General of India, Pinky Anand apparently misinformed the Supreme Court that there is no interconnectivity between biometric aadhaar and other programs and databases of the government contrary to documentary evidence which were shown to the court. Apparently, applauding herself, she was heard telling the Senior Advocate that he did not get any desired interim relief not realizing that the court made it explicitly apparent that their reiteration of the previous orders even in the face of violations hasn’t been sufficient

 Towards the end of the hearing on 30^th July, Shyam Diwan, Senior Advocate representing Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd) appeared and supported Subramanian’s contention against seeding of aadhaar with other databases such as electoral database. He asked the court time to argue the matter on Tuesday, 4^th August, 2015.    

 There is documentary evidence to suggest that a situation is emerging where if the pre-existing databases like electoral database, census and other databases which are under preparation are converged at the behest of unaccountable and undemocratic financial institutions and biometric surveillance technology companies. The court is yet to take cognizance of it although future heads of states, prime ministers, legislators, law enforcers, military and security personnel are being made transparent to transnational powers without factoring in its far reaching security implications for decades and centuries to come.

The collection of biometric data, personal sensitive information which is deemed “asset” is illegal and mandatory requirement for aadhaar in manifest contempt Supreme Court’s repeated orders during 23^rd September, 2013 till 16^th March, 2015. When confronted with such gross wrongful acts, adopting the posture of “offense is the best defence”, in a stark case of misrepresentation of relevant precedents, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi orally submitted in the biometric aadhaar case in the Supreme Court that right to privacy is not a fundamental right.

During the hearing Subramanian contended that right to privacy is an inalienable birth right and natural right during the pre-lunch hearing. In fact he argued, birth itself is a gift of privacy.  

The fact remains aadhaar based on indiscriminate biometric profiling is an assault on right to privacy.  

Notably, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had set up a Biometrics Standards Committee which revealed that 'the biometrics will be captured for authentication by government departments and commercial organisations at the time of service delivery.' The commercial organisation mentioned herein is not defined. Notably, Biometrics Standards Committee had categorically stated that UID/aadhaar’s is meant only for “civilian application” but the order on aadhaar enabled biometric attendance system has been extended to defence employees as well. The fact remains UID was first adopted by USA’s Department of Defence, later by NATO. It has subsequently been pushed through World Bank’s eTransform Initiative in partnership with France, South Korea, Gemalto, IBM, L1, Microsoft, Intel and Pfizer. Some of them have signed agreements with UIDAI. This constitutes not only a threat to privacy but also to national security.  

Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL) which has been opposing biometric enrollment, profiling, databasing and surveillance through aadhaar like schemes since 2010 appeals to fellow citizens to send information about specific instances wherein they were denied services in the absence of aadhaar or they were compelled to enroll for aadhaar. This is urgently required by to be filed in the court as an affidavit. If such facts can be shared, lawyers representing the petitioners can prepare it as an affidavit. CFCL had appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that trashed the National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010 that wished legalise UIDAI and aadhaar through an ex post facto law in order to escape adverse judicial action. Notably, the Bill did not define biometric data which as per Information Technology Act includes DNA data. Government’s Centre for DNA Fingerprinting & Diagnostics (CDFD) is seeking caste data as well paving the path of genetic determinism. Such projects have been abandoned in UK, Australia, China, France, USA, Philippines and other countries. CFCL attended the hearing in the Supreme Court on 29th and 30th July, 2015 and has been following the case since 2012 when the case against aadhaar was first filed.  

 CFCL seeks attention of fellow citizens who want to say that they enrolled for 12 digit biometric aadhaar number because of a threat of discontinuance of a service, they too should share their formal statements in this regard. It could be quite useful. They could also make statements asking that their number be deleted from the aadhaar database called Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) because they never wanted to be there in the first place. Such statements will illustrate how the aadhaar database was and is being constructed through coercion and not through consent or voluntarily. It will underline the absence of free informed consent. The cases of specific instances can be communicated to Email-1715krishna@gmail.com

(Aadhaar authentication is the process wherein aadhaar number, along with other attributes (demographic and/or biometrics and/or One Time PIN [OTP]) is submitted to UIDAI’s CIDR) for verification. Biometrics is a method by which a person's authentication information is generated by digitizing measurements of a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Biometric authentication verifies user's claimed identity by comparing an encoded value with a stored value of the concerned biometric characteristic.) Scientific studies have established that this technology is inherently fallible. The uniqueness and permanence of measurable biological material which is the very basis of aadhaar is a admittedly only a postulate.    

 Given the fact that hearing is underway since 21^st July, all eyes are on the three judge bench to set matters right by ensuring that its orders are complied with before addressing issues of constitutionality. In a situation no one has been held accountable for violating court’s previous orders on mandatororiness of aadhaar wherein almost every government entity has deliberately chosen not to comply with it, how can court be convinced that its verdict on the constitutionality of biometric data collection and aadhaar will be complied with?  

 For Details: Gopal Krishna, Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL) Mb: 08227816731, 09818089660 E-mail-1715krishna@gmail.com

For more background information visit:

The Statesman Series:
http://www.thestatesman.com/news/3686-a-virtual-monster-in-the-cloud.html
by Dr Usha Ramanathan

MoneyLife Series: www.moneylife.in/author/gopal-krishna.html

Repository of aadhaar related articles: aadhararticles.blogspot.com compiled by Ram Krishnaswamy

The Stalkers: Amit Shah’s Illegal Surveillance Exposed

The Stalkers: Amit Shah’s Illegal Surveillance Exposed

November 15, 2013

 Audio tapes reveal the illegal surveillance of a young woman from Bangalore in 2009 ordered by Amit Shah for his “Saheb”. The police followed her inside malls, restaurants, gyms, even when she visited relatives, went to see her mother at a hospital, took a flight or checked into a hotel.

The Stalkers
by Ashish Khetan and Raja Chowdhury
An important covenant in a democracy is that those voted to power shall protect the weak and the vulnerable. That is why when the system fails to protect a Nirbhaya or do justice to a Jessica Lal or protect the children of Nithari, even the most compromising among us take to the streets and demand a reckoning. That is why we collectively called for stricter laws and swifter punishment for crime against women and children in the wake of the brutal Delhi gangrape.
This story is, however, not about the inadequacies of the system or its indifference. It is far more sordid. This story is about the misuse of police machinery and powers of the State by a top minister in the Gujarat government to stalk a young woman from Bangalore, subjecting her to constant surveillance for reasons not immediately apparent.
Gujarat IPS officer G.L. Singhal, who is an accused in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case (Ishrat was killed, along with three others, by Gujarat Police in 2004) and out on bail, has handed over hundreds of recorded telephonic conversations to the CBI revealing how three key wings of the Gujarat Police—the State Intelligence Bureau, also known as CID Intelligence, the Crime Branch and the Anti-Terrorist Squad—misused their powers to stalk an unmarried young woman from Bangalore, who had her parents staying in Gujarat.
The entire surveillance-cum-phone interception operation was mounted in August 2009 on oral orders, without any valid legal authorization, and was meant only to serve the interests of someone whom the then minister of state for home, Amit Shah, addressed as ‘saheb’.
The illegal spying operation in which Singhal has confessed to his key role was initiated on the instructions of Shah sometime in the month of August 2009 and continued for several weeks thereafter. The 267 audio recordings submitted to the CBI primarily contain telephonic conversations between Shah and Singhal, who was at the time posted as SP with ATS. In at least half a dozen conversations, Shah is alluding to his saheb’s acute personal interest in the snooping of the woman. The conversations suggest Shah was passing minute-by-minute details gathered through this snooping operation to his ‘saheb’. A close confidant of Narendra Modi, Shah held his office as Minister of State for Home for seven years between 2003 and 2010. Modi besides being the CM has also been Gujarat’s home minister since October 2001. Shah was arrested in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case in 2010 and is out on bail, looking after BJP’s poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
Investigative news portals Gulail and Cobrapost have accessed both the entire set of recordings and the three explosive self-incriminatory statements given by Singhal before the CBI between April and June this year. We also have the 10-page panchnama prepared by the CBI, as the agency took possession of the phone recordings from Singhal. All conversations were recorded by Singhal who at that time was close to Shah. Apparently, it was only after the CBI arrested him in the Ishrat Jahan killing case in February this year that he cracked up and chose to cooperate with the CBI.
To protect the identity of the victim, we have decided to not reveal her name or present location. For the purpose of this story, we call her Madhuri.
Along with Madhuri, a senior IAS officer from Gujarat named Pradeep Sharma was also put on watch, illegally.
“In the latter half of 2009, when I was posted as SP (Operations) in the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) at Ahmedabad, Shri Amit Shah had directed me several times to watch the movements of Shri Pradeep Sharma, who was then posted as Municipal Commissioner, Bhavnagar. He had also asked me to put a watch on a young woman named Madhuri. I had deputed some men of the Crime Branch (as ATS was short of subordinate staff) to follow her, as directed by Shri Amit Shah,” reads Singhal’s statement recorded by the CBI on April 17, 2013, a copy of which is with us. Singhal was released on bail in the last week of May 2013.
On June 9, 2013, Singhal handed over the phone recordings to the CBI. “In furtherance of my statement dated 17.04.2013, I statethat I have produced today before you the following: A pen drive containing 267 call recordings in the month of August–September 2009 (beginning 04.08.2009 and ending 10.09.2009) between me and Shri Amit Shah primarily, barring some between me and Shri A.K. Sharma, me and Shri Vaishnav (DySP CID Intelligence), and me and Shri Rajendra Asari (then SP Bhavnagar). These conversations pertain to watching the young woman Madhuri at Ahmedabad and watching Shri Pradeep Sharma.”
In the last paragraph on page 8 of panchnama prepared by the CBI on July 9, 2013, the agency says: “Shri G.L. Singhal informed that these files contain telephonic conversation between him and Shri Amit Shah, the then MoS (Home), Gujarat State in the month of August and September 2009 relating to misuse of the police for extra legal purposes in miscarriage of justice.”
Singhal’s statements and phone recordings are now part of the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case papers.
The tapes indicate that for at least over a month the Gujarat Police apparatus used its sweeping powers to rigorously monitor every private moment, every personal conversation and every daily movement of Madhuri. Singhal has told the CBI that the surveillance was illegal and was carried out only on the oral instructions of Shah. The recordings reveal that Madhuri was tailed even as she visited shopping malls, restaurants, ice-cream parlours, gyms, cinema halls, hotels and airports. She was followed even when she visited her ailing mother in a hospital in Ahmedabad. When she boarded a flight out of Ahmedabad, orders were issued to put cops on the flight so that she was not out of sight even when she was flying. Strict orders were given to closely observe and profile those who met her. Shah was particularly interested in knowing the men she was meeting and whether she was alone or with some man when she checked into a hotel in Ahmedabad. Her phones and that of her family and friends were tapped. Every bit of information was conveyed to Shah in real time, who in turn claimed to be relaying it to his ‘saheb’. Listening to the conversations leaves no doubt that the people involved in the operation knew who this ‘saheb’ was.
Such was the importance attached to the surveillance operation that many senior state police officials were instructed to personally supervise the movements and activities of the woman. Besides Singhal, who was at that time posted as a Superintendent of Police with the ATS, the then IG (Intelligence) A.K. Sharma, the then Deputy SP (CID Intelligence) DB Vaishnav and then DCP (Crime) Abhay Chudasama were some of the other senior officers who were roped in for the operation. At present, Sharma is posted as Joint Commissioner of Crime in Ahmedabad city. While Vaishnav has retired, Chudasama is cooling his heels in jail on charges of stage-managing the Sohrabuddin Shaikh encounter.
The phone recordings in possession of the CBI primarily contain conversations between Singhal and Shah. Some conversations are between Singhal and other state police officers such as A.K. Sharma, Vaishnav and the then Bhavnagar SP Rajendra Asari. All conversations were recorded by Singhal between August 4, 2009 and September 6, 2009.
At many places in the tapes, Shah can be heard complaining that Singhal’s men were not doing a thorough job as ‘saheb’ was obtaining information about her movements from his independent sources and his information network was at times more efficient than that of Shah.
For instance, on August 9, Shah in a panicky call to Singhal said, “I talked to Saheb and he got to know from someone that they did go outside twice. I think our men are not watching properly. They are still there. They went for shopping as well and also moved out along with that boy who came to see her.” ………….
A little later, Shah again rings up Singhal to say, “Today they are going out for a meal in a hotel. Sahib received a phone about this. So watch out as she is going with someone. It is the boy who is coming to see her. Pay proper attention. The fact is that Saheb gets all the information, so the thing is that our loopholes might get found out. (if our input is late).”
The tapes also reveal that Shah had instructed Singhal to mount surveillance on a senior IAS officer, Pradeep Sharma, and tap his phones to find out if he was meeting with Madhuri—something that Singhal has also admitted before the CBI. Unaware of the existence of these tapes, Sharma had independently filed a writ petitionin the Supreme Court in May 2011 alleging that he was being framed in bogus corruption cases by the Gujarat government and the reason for this was Chief Minister Narendra Modi association with a young woman. I It now emerges from Singhal’s statements and tapes that the name of the woman mentioned by Sharma in his petition is the same as the name of the woman who was kept under watch by Shah and Co. At several places in the tapes, both Shah and Singhal have named the woman leaving no doubt about her identity.
The question then arises whether it is just a co-incidence that the name of the woman Sharma alleges to have been associated with Modi matches with that of the woman put under surveillance. Or, there is something more to it than meets the eye?
In one of the phone recordings, Shah is also heard telling Singhal to put a man, who was meeting Madhuri, behind bars for a period longer than served by former DIG of ATS D.G. Vanzara who has been in jail since 2007 on charges of a slew of fake encounter killings. When the conversation between Shah and Singhal took place, Vanzara had already been in jail for more than two years. What is significant is that within three months of this surveillance operation, Sharma was arrested by the state police on various corruption charges in the wee hours of January 1, 2010.
The disclosures in the Singhal–Shah tapes raise several disturbing questions. Who wanted Madhuri to be watched and why? Why were Madhuri and Sharma snooped around at the same time? Is it a co-incidence that within three months of this snooping, Sharma was arrested on corruption charges?
Why the cops from the ATS, CID Intelligence and the Crime Branch, whose job is to protect the life of ordinary citizens, were used instead to snoop around a woman, who was not wanted in any crime and did not pose any threat to law and order. Not once did any officer involved object to the blatant illegality involved in the surveillance-cum-phone interception operation or expressed displeasure for violating an individual’s privacy. It needs to be remembered that Singhal has clearly stated before the CBI that the entire snooping operation was illegal. The explanation that it was being done for Shah’s ‘saheb’ was a good enough for the top police officials such as Singhal to toe the line. The question is who Shah’s ‘saheb’ was and what were his motives?
The tapes also reveal how phone tapping guidelines as laid down by the Supreme Court in several landmark cases were blatantly violated. It also brings the telecom companies under a cloud, as they willingly obliged the Gujarat Police to tap the phones, without any valid legal orders or written permission.
In his statements, besides accusing politicians like Shah, Singhal has incriminated himself. He has confessed to have played a part in planting arms on the person of Ishrat Jahan and three others. He also disclosed that D.G. Vanzara had told him that the killings of Ishrat Jahan and her associates were cleared by “safed” and “kali” dadhis, the alleged code names that Vanzara had, respectively, for Modi and Shah—a charge which has to be proved in a court of law.
Singhal has also provided a 70-minute audio recording of a meeting held in the office of Gujarat Advocate General Kamal Trivedi and attended by two of Modi’s ministers— Pratapsinh Jadeja (MoS, Law) and Praful Patel (MoS, Home)—and an ex-cabinet minister, Bhupender Chudasama. In the meeting, Singhal and his co-accused in the Ishrat Jahan killing were assured of the best possible legal protection by the State. According to Singhal, expensive encrypted cell phones were purchased and distributed to select government officials like G.C. Murmu (Secretary to Chief Minister), P.P. Pandey (suspended ADG of Gujarat Police and now prime accused in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case), A.K. Sharma (JCP, Ahmedabad city) and Singhal himself, who could then discuss over these secured phone lines the tactics of subverting the investigations into encounter killings.
Singhal has further revealed in detail how he was used to threaten two key prosecution witnesses against Shah in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. The witnesses were threatened in the presence of Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, a senior member of the ruling party and a former minister. Thus reads his statement given to the CBI on April 17, 20013,“Shri Bhupendrasinh Chudasama had stated that he had directions from the Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi for these two witnesses to turn hostile, in lieu of which he had stated that the Chief Minister had promised all protection and immunity”.
Since people like Shah and Chudasama constantly reassured him that their actions had Modi’s blessings, Singhal indulged in various illegal activities. Says Singhal in his statement to the CBI, “I restate the fact that previously I had been coerced to participate in and help in certain activities intended to obstruct the process of law. Although illegal, unethical and improper, I had not declined to follow instructions because I was under a cloud in this case and Shri Amit Shah used to wield his authority by making it appear that I and my subordinate officers were being protected from incarceration by his and the Chief Minister’s efforts”.
At this point of time, Gulail and Cobrapost have no means to independently verify these charges.
Whether Singhal’s statements and evidence stand the scrutiny of the courts or not, they nonetheless reveal a chilling modus operandi of the Modi regime. Officers like Singhal who were willing to do all the dirty work would take instructions from Shah who would freely use Modi’s name and mandate them to indulge in all kinds of criminal activities. The question arises was all this happening without Modi’s knowledge? Is Madhuri the only private citizen to have fallen victim to the state’s secret surveillance? How many more people—political opponents, human rights activists, journalists, witnesses, police officers—have been snooped around? One also wonders how did the snooping operation on Madhuri end? Why did Singhal record his conversations with Shah for just over a month and not beyond that? How the information procured about her was put to use?
This is a closet that only opens from the inside. Singhal has cranked it open, but just a bit. Perhaps, the full scale of illegal snooping that may have gone on for years in Gujarat will never be fully known.
Ashish Khetan is Editor, Gulail.com and Raja Chowdhury is Senior Correspondent, Cobrapost.com

Below are some of the transcripts of the audio files submitted by GL Singhal to the CBI

Disclaimer

Viewers are advised that the audio files have been transcribed as diligently and accurately as possible. Transcribing is painstaking and error-prone work. It involves hearing and typing. In case of any discrepancy, the audio files should be referred to. Viewers are further advised that Gujarati language has been translated to English with utmost care (We have tried to retain the original meaning of all the conversations to the best of our ability within the inherent limitations of translation). Errors, if any, in transcribing and translation, are purely bonafide and unintentional. It should be remembered that subtitles are only an aid to the hearing process.

***
G.L. Singhal: Sir Singhal speaking
Amit Shah: JI    
G.L. Singhal: Sir the thing is. I just got the information from the company and the location at 14:29 is at that very 

place, I mean 2:29pm                                                                                        
Amit Shah: She must have gone. Saheb comes to know of everything. 
G.L. Singhal: No Sir!
Amit Shah: She must have gone. Saheb comes to know of every thing.
G.L. Singhal: Sir our men are there and I am continuously checking the location with the mobile company
Amit Shah: Does the location remain in the same vicinity?
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir,  Sir Tower remains the same and the cell ID is also the same
Amit Shah: Ok 
***
Amit Shah: This evening the person is supposed to leave. That is the info with Sahib, I mean…….
G.L.Singhal: Yes Sir….the lady isn’t it sir?
Amit Shah:  Check out what flight it could be in the evening….
G.L.Singhal:  Yes sir…. I will check it out
Amit Shah: May be GoAir and has that man reached Bhavnagar ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…he has. I have checked out his location . He reached last night.
Amit Shah: If this girl is going to Mumbai make sure he does not go to Mumbai 
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…..right sir…..
Amit Shah: Did you understand? and check out the evening flight schedule

***
Amit Shah: Singhal Amit here…
G.L. Singhal:  Sir……
Amit Shah: Any further leads?
G.L. Singhal:  No sir, I have told him he will check and revert 
Amit Shah: No because Saheb, has been calling repeatedly
G.L. Singhal:  No he will inform me sir, that may take 10 or 15 minutes 
Amit Shah: What happened at the airport?
G.L. Singhal:  Sir that boy dropped her off and left, our men are still there, another 10 minutes before flight takes off….
Amit Shah: hmmm….

***
Amit Shah: Yes Singhal
G.L. Singhal: Sir, I have seen the place and the hotel as well. Men are well deployed and all arrangements have been 

made. The moment she leaves, she will be followed. One man is on the main road and another in the front.
Amit Shah: But get it checked whether she is inside or not?
G.L. Singhal: Sir I will have that verified
Amit Shah: Have it confirmed and inform….
G.L. Singhal: Sir, according to the interception information she has extended her stay by a day
Amit Shah: That is ok but is she inside?
G.L. Singhal: Sure… sir
Amit Shah: I am in a meeting with Saheb 
G.L. Singhal: Ok ok…
Amit Shah: So if I am with Saheb, just send across the message ‘’the guests are inside’’
G.L. Singhal: Ok ok…

*** 
Amit Shah: I talked to Saheb and he got to know from someone that they did go outside twice. I think our men are not 

watching properly. 
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: They are still there. They went for shopping as well
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: And also moved out along with that boy who came to see her…….
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…… Security has been placed in such a way that our men have to go there ostensibly to make 

enquiry about car insurance. But our men keep going there every  now and then. They are not letting our men sit 

inside.
Amit Shah: But there are only two doors ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.
Amit Shah: But they even went for shopping….
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir., they might have gone in tinted glass car so our men might have missed. Anyhow I will again tell 

the people deployed.
Amit Shah: Search the number of  the car.
G.L.Singhal: Ok sir.

***
Amit Shah: Singhal… Amit here. Keep a thorough watch .
G.L. Singhal: Sir we have a man posted in the hotel parking area, a man outside and one more man deployed.
Amit Shah: They are still inside
G.L. Singhal: Till now they have not come out so they are probably inside 
Amit Shah: Today  they are going out for lunch in a hotel.
G.L. Singhal: Right… right
Amit Shah: Saheb  received a phone about this. 
G.L. Singhal: Ok… ok…
Amit Shah: So watch out as she is going with someone.
G.L. Singhal: Sir…
Amit Shah: It is the boy who is coming to see her.
G.L. Singhal: Ok… ok…
Amit Shah: The fact is that Saheb gets all the information, so the thing is that our loopholes might get found out.
G.L. Singhal:  Of course….of course 
Amit Shah:  So you please…
G.L. Singhal:  Sir I will personally go and see the arrangements for myself
Amit Shah:  Better you go there once and see for yourself
G.L. Singhal: Sir I am nearby and will reach there in 10 minutes.

***
Amit Shah: Singhal… Any updates ?
G.L. Singhal: Sir, she has left the hotel and now she is going back towards Prahlad Nagar
Amit Shah: How are your relations with SP Bhavnagar?
G.L. Singhal: Good enough Sir!!
Amit Shah: Check  whether the Commissioner is at her home or would be coming here
G.L. Singhal: Ok sir…
Amit Shah: Municipal Commissioner…
G.L. Singhal: Ok sir…

***
R.Asari: I am fine sir
G.L.Singhal: Fine ?
R.Asari: Yes sir
G.L.Singhal: Some secretive work needs to be done
R.Asari: Sir
G.L.Singhal: Would you please tell me the location of our BMC, Municipal Commissioner secretively ?
R.Asari: Sharma sir’s location
G.L.Singhal: hmm
R.Asari: Ok, I will check it sir
G.L.Singhal: But secretively, ok
R.Asari: Yes yes… yes sir
G.L.Singhal: Ok
R.Asari: Yes sir… yes sir

***
G.L.Singhal:: Sir  namaste sir
Amit Shah:: What  happened at night ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir at night she was with the boy in his car till around 12:30 to 1 am. She reached hotel at 1 am. She 

reached  hotel at 1 am. And regarding the inquiry to be made at Bhavnagar, till I got the message very late so did not 

disturb you, He is there only in Bhavnagar
Amit Shah:  Keep a watch on him
G.L.Singhal:  Since 8 am my men are on the job. I have asked for the location so that we come to know.
Amit Shah:  Take the local numbers  of her hotel
G.L.Singhal:  Yes sir  I have been told that her  hotel reservation is till today only, the 11th
Amit Shah: I understand

***
Amit Shah: That man had gone from Bhavnagar to Mumbai and is back here. In connection with the matter... 
G.L.Singhal: Ok sir 
Amit Shah: We are watching him also.
G.L.Singhal: Yes Yes…
Amit Shah: So today deploy 8 to 10 men firstly, that man is going to stay at Kuldip’s house… There … then he has called 

a Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation car.
G.L.Singhal:  Yes  yes  yes 
Amit Shah: And the---- matter… keep a watch the whole night.
G.L.Singhal: Right… 
Amit Shah: Call for men
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes 
Amit Shah: As he will stay here for a day or two and try to begin with her  tactics.
G.L.Singhal: Right… 
Amit Shah: I have their conversation and know the nature of their relationship 
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes 
Amit Shah: Get more men or some of your confidants 
G.L.Singhal: Sir I have called two three men from the crime department
Amit Shah: Two three IB men to watch the other side
G.L.Singhal: Yes  yes  sir
Amit Shah: And some IB men to intercept calls in the night are to be posted inside.
G.L.Singhal: Yes… yes sir

***
Amit Shah:  Amit this side…
G.L.Singhal:  Yes …
Amit Shah:  Did you talk ?
G.L.Singhal:  Sir I did and according to him surveillance cannot be done at Shahibagh  by his men
Amit Shah:  No no… it can be done from a distance, what is happening,  where his car is etc etc…
G.L.Singhal:  Sir… I have talked to them but even then I’ll talk again.
 Amit Shah: Or you deploy one  of our men there.
G.L.Singhal: Ok Sir…
Amit Shah: Then ?
G.L.Singhal: I just checked his mobile location and it shows in Bhavnagar.

***
Amit Shah: He must have left the instrument there, he was in Mumbai.
G.L.Singhal: Ok Sir…
Amit Shah: You check it out
G.L.Singhal: Sure sir…
Amit Shah: He must have left the phone at home.
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir…
Amit Shah: He has an additional number
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir…
Amit Shah: I will ask AK Sharma to give it to you
G.L.Singhal: I have taken three numbers from him and two are showing location in Bhavnagar and I have to check the 

third one.
Amit Shah: Two at Bhavnagar ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir 
Amit Shah: Check the third also.
G.L.Singhal: Yes I will check it.
Amit Shah: And where is the lady?
G.L.Singhal: She is sitting at Navrangpura near Have More.
Amit Shah:: With  that boy only ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir. With that boy
Amit Shah:: I want him in jail for as many days as Vanjara has been jailed for.
G.L.Singhal: Yes  yes.
Amit Shah: You be courageous and strong.
G.L.Singhal: Undoubtedly sir…
Amit Shah: No matter how big the person, put him in jail
G.L.Singhal: Right sir

***
Amit Shah: Singhal, Amit this side
G.L.Singhal: Sir
Amit Shah: They have left ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir, not yet, they are about to leave in around 10-15 minutes
Amit Shah: So…did they go for lunch or something ?
G.L.Singhal: No,no they are still at the theater
Amit Shah: Still at theater, no ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Ok, please be vigilant at night

***
Amit Shah: Yes Singhal
G.L.Singhal: Sir, she would be coming at around 5:40
Amit Shah: No, no
G.L.Singhal: Sir I got a message from Vaishnav that the flight has been changed and that she would be coming now at 

around 5:40, so I have stationed our men as well sir
Amit Shah: Oh, is it ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: How did Vaishnav come to know ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir, he told me that he got a message that the flight would arrive at 5:40 so our men have been stationed at 

all the places
Amit Shah: Ok…Vaishnav is also working on this?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Who all are there ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir those two people…one is Prabhat Singh and another is Prasad…
Amit Shah: Hmm…hmm hmm
G.L.Singhal: These three people work for me
Amit Shah: And Vaishnav is also there ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Ok 
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.


***
Amit Shah: Yes Singhal…
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Who is going to takecare of the phone ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir it will be activated once she is here. So I will take care of that
Amit Shah: Vaishnav is not taking care of that, isn’t it
G.L.Singhal: No no sir
Amit Shah:Hmm
G.L.Singhal: There is one Dahbi…sir
Amit Shah: Oh, ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Don’t let Vaishnav do that work, ok ?
G.L.Singhal: Not at all sir
Amit Shah: Huh ???
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes sir
Amit Shah: And…you yourself also keep a tab.
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes sure sir
Amit Shah: So that we are well informed 
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes sir sir sir
Amit Shah: And…you got that thing ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir, I have got it
Amit Shah: Ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes

***
Amit Shah: Singhal, Amit this side
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Please keep a proper tab of the phone
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir…..
Amit Shah: Whether it has been switched on
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir…..actually sir GoAir arrives at 5:40 and Indigo arrives at 8:20
Amit Shah: She is travelling by Indigo only
G.L.Singhal: yes yes sir, sir
Amit Shah: From Bangalore to….Ahmedabad
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir
Amit Shah: Ok ?
G.L.Singhal: Sure sir
Amit Shah: And the people with the placard….
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir, everything has been arranged
Amit Shah: No, no….I mean ask him in advance the hotel’s name
G.L.Singhal: yes yes sir
Amit Shah: So in case she escapes, we can keep a vigil at the hotel
G.L.Singhal: Right right sir 
Amit Shah: Ok ?
G.L.Singhal: yes yes sir
Amit Shah: Ask him from which hotel has he come…
G.L.Singhal: yes yes sir
Amit Shah: ---- is the name
G.L.Singhal: yes yes sir sir sir sir
Amit Shah: It would be either ---- or ----
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes sir
Amit Shah: It could be written in either way
G.L.Singhal: sir, sir, sir, sir, sir, sir, yes

***
G.L.Singhal: She is at Ginger
Amit Shah: Yes, she is at Ginger
G.L.Singhal: Yes, I am trying to establish some link with the manager. Till tomorrow morning I would be able to find 

some.
Amit Shah: Alright and a close watch should be kept there regarding  who all are coming and going ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes
Amit Shah: Room number  and also who visits her and if she is going out with somebody
G.L.Singhal: Sure sure sure sir
Amit Shah: Increase the force as well
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes yes
Amit Shah: Car as well as scooter
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes, yes yes sir
Amit Shah: Ok

***
Amit Shah: Any information ?
G.L.Singhal: I have deployed people. If any movement would be noticed we will come to know.
Amit Shah: Take the details of room such as the room number and who booked it.
G.L.Singhal: I will get it sir.
Amit Shah: Hmmm….
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.
Amit Shah: They have vehicles?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir. They have vehicles
Amit Shah: keep a watch.

***
Amit Shah: Any news ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir she is about to go towards Safal at 11:30.
Amit Shah: What is there that has to be seen and who is there in B block.
G.L.Singhal: One person has been deployed there but no one is allowed to go inside without the permission of 

security. But that person is in such a position that he can hear everything. It is being asked to every visitor the person 

whom he or she wishes to visit 
Amit Shah: Hmm…, Is there any guest house inside ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir it is entirely residential.
Amit Shah: See if there is anything like guest house.
G.L.Singhal: I will check sir… ok ?
Amit Shah: Ok… , She is still there only ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir. She has not yet left from here
Amit Shah: Get the vehicle number
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir
Amit Shah: Yes ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir, there is one Mahendra, his home is there. She is there now
Amit Shah: Hmm hmm hmm
G.L.Singhal: It is in the name of Sarojben, Saroj Mahendrabhai….?
Amit Shah: Name….Saroj Mahendrabhai…?
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: But some Mahendrabhai …lives there ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes. I talked to Sharma sir and he told me that she often talks to him
Amit Shah: Hmm hmm ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Ok
G.L.Singhal:Yes

***
Amit Shah: What is the location right now ?
G.L.Singhal: At that place only and no significant movement as yet. I have just reached office
Amit Shah: Hmm…
G.L.Singhal: Yes….
Amit Shah: Where is she now ?
G.L.Singhal: She is there only. She has not moved yet, yes sir…
Amit Shah: Who is there has to be searched.
G.L.Singhal: The thing is that she came here to meet someone and it is heard that there is something pertaining to 

engagement and for that she came to meet that boy.
Amit Shah: Hmm…And on phone ?
G.L.Singhal: It is heard on phone that I will come at 11:30 and that call him at that time.
Amit Shah: At that man’s place ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir. At his place. She received call at 8:30 am and was asked that at what time she would be coming . 

She said she will calln in the afternoon or evening but then she called on her own and said she will come at 11:30.The 

boy may be called. 
Amit Shah: Hmm…., so all these talks are of before 11:00.
G.L.Singhal: Sir I tracked till the end but no calls were made after 3
Amit Shah: So phone is off after 3? What were the other calls made before 3:00 ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir it seems that 2-3 calls were by her to her Banglore colleagues---  “where are you” and “did you reach 

safely?” All that..And some talks about hotel reservation.
Amit Shah:  Are they talking in Gujarati ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir in English.
Amit Shah: And any talks with her family ?
G.L.Singhal: She talked to her mother and she had probably some altercations with her sister.  She told her mother  

that make her understand and I am going to meet that boy today or later whatever it may be. I’ll let you know
Amit Shah: So her father and mother are not in picture about her meeting with that boy.
G.L.Singhal: No sir she talks very rudely with her mother.
Amit Shah: Hmm… And who is that Mahendrabhai ?
G.L.Singhal: That has to be checked. Our men are deployed at both front and rear gates. But it does not appear that he 

is her relative but he might be in her group.
Amit Shah: Hmm…, Deploy some persons at his place.
G.L.Singhal: Yes…
Amit Shah: Ok…
G.L.Singhal: Yes…
 Amit Shah: And who else called?
G.L.Singhal: 2-3 calls are from Bangalore. She is asked where is she. She calls up the hotel and takes the address and 

tells that they are about 70 kms away. She goes to the hotel and again receives a call from Bangalore. And at 2:35 am 

one call is made in English and that also appears to be from Bangalore. 
Amit Shah: What is the call all about ?
G.L.Singhal: She tells that “I am exhausted” and I will talk tomorrow. 
Amit Shah: Hmm….
G.L.Singhal: And her another Reliance number is also placed on tracking but the recorded conversation have not yet 

been recorded into files. She tells the caller from Bangalore that she will call from her Reliance number
Amit Shah: Hmm…, hmm…,  So check that reliance number.
G.L.Singhal: Sir I checked but no calls are reflecting as yet.
Amit Shah: Hmm…, Check with the company.
G.L.Singhal: Sir I talked to Harish but he told there is some problem in Mumbai server.
Amit Shah: Hmm,  so she is in the flat only ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Anything special on other phones ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir…nothing as such
Amit Shah: How many files are there ?(of recorded phone conversations)
G.L.Singhal: Around…sir…22-24 files are there. 2 files are repeating so 22 files are there.
Amit Shah: 22 files. Okay

***
Amit Shah: Where is that woman right now ?
G.L.Singhal: She is there only. She hasn’t come out yet .
Amit Shah: Please check it. It doesn’t seem to be possible.
G.L.Singhal:  I checked the location at 6 and she was still there
Amit Shah: Enquire about it. Our men are there only isn’t it ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir. 3 men are there
Amit Shah: Ask about it and let me know
G.L.Singhal: Sir…sir

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir
Amit Shah: Hello….
G.L.Singhal: Sir she is still there only
Amit Shah: Yes yes yes
G.L.Singhal: I talked to Vaishnav and he confirmed that no calls have been received as yet
Amit Shah: Ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Ok then
G.L.Singhal: Sure 
Amit Shah: Its hasn’t been switched off, isn’t it ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir. One call was received now and she said she’ll talk later
Amit Shah: Hmm hmm hmm 
G.L.Singhal: Yes

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir till 7:30 his location is there only
 Amit Shah: But You have asked him as our people ?
G.L.Singhal: From company, sir
Amit Shah: What did your men tell ?
G.L.Singhal: Our men are saying that she came down at 5:30 along with one boy aged around 35
Amit Shah: Hmm 
G.L.Singhal: And went back upstairs
Amit Shah: Hmm
G.L.Singhal: We have deployed men at hotel as well, at both the places
Amit Shah: Is there only one door or any other than that ? 
G.L.Singhal: There are two doors and men deployed at both the doors at the hotel as well
Amit Shah: They should not escape in closed car.
G.L.Singhal: We will come to know sir and in case they come out, we will be informed by our men deployed at the 

hotel
Amit Shah: Ok
G.L.Singhal: Yes



***
Vaishnav: Yes sir yes
G.L.Singhal: What is the strategy now?  Saheb told me that you have made certain arrangements
Vaishnav: Saheb told me that, that lady is going to fly from Bangalore at 20:20
G.L.Singhal: Alright
Vaishnav: And she will go to Hotel Grand Bhagwati
G.L.Singhal: Ok
Vaishnav: So I asked him what about that so he told me that he wanted to know the details. So he said that the flight 

will arrive at 20:20
G.L.Singhal: Alright 
Vaishnav: He asked me to take the flight list 
G.L.Singhal: Hmm…  hmm…  hmm…
Vaishnav: Passenger list….
G.L.Singhal: Hmm…hmm…
Vaishnav: And my man would be stationed there so when the Hotel Grand Bhagwati’s car arrives…
G.L.Singhal: Yes…alright..
Vaishnav: Whenever the car comes, a man would be there with the placard
G.L.Singhal: Hmm…hmm…
Vaishnav: We should trail the car till Grand Bhagwati. So we get the information till Grand Bhagwati
G.L.Singhal: Alright….
Vaishnav: Rest of the information about inside Grand Bhagwati would be a bit difficult to attain 
G.L.Singhal: Hmm…hmm…
Vaishnav: So he asked me to do this much and I said that we will do it
G.L.Singhal: Hmm…hmm…
Vaishnav: So he said that Singhal Saheb will talk to me later and I said ok 
G.L.Singhal: Alright. So I will send 2 of our men to you
Vaishnav: Yes
G.L.Singhal: They will be with them and then there wherever they would stay if any movement is there, they will keep 

us informed
Vaishnav: Yes sir….
G.L.Singhal: Alright?
Vaishnav: Yes yes …..

***
At Home:
Amit Shah: Where are you ?
G.L.Singhal: At office Sir
Amit Shah: Which Office ?
G.L.Singhal: Here Sir, at Shahibagh
Amit Shah: Please come to my Bunglow in an hour 
G.L.Singhal: Yes Sir, Ok

***
Amit Shah: They haven’t come out, isn’t it ?
G.L.Singhal: NO sir, they are still there. Our man is also deployed there and he has been informed to follow them and 

also keep a vigil on all circumstances   whether they move out in car or an auto rickshaw.
Amit Shah: Ok

***
Amit Shah: Singhal, did you check ?
G.L. Singhal: Sir our men have reached there. No movement reported as yet.
Amit Shah: Check whether they are there or not ?
G.L. Singhal: Actually we also tried to lay a trap at night  pretending to be calling from a travel agency and asked 

whether a guest  called Nancy D’Souza is staying in that room ? But they confirmed that no one with that name is 

staying with them but they told that someone called ----- is staying in that room. But that girl is so clever that when 

she was returning from the airport someone gave her a missed call then she called back on that number and started 

asking who has called. But it was told that it was a public booth. She started asking who had called and how was 

his/her appearance.
Amit Shah: Hmm 
G.L. Singhal: And again we tried to confirm whether there was someone else in her room or not at around 11:00 pm.
Amit Shah: Hmm… hmm… 
G.L. Singhal: Then she gave two missed calls on that number
Amit Shah: Okay. And the other thing is that it is required to take the bill print of this number and that 240 number. So 

what to do?
G.L. Singhal: Sir…Hmm…
Amit Shah: Mr. Sharma has come today ?
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir. But this number is a Bangalore number
Amit Shah: Hmm…
G.L. Singhal: So… I will talk to Saheb about how can this be done
Amit Shah: Ok…
G.L. Singhal: I will try to fix up  someone in the (telecom) company.
Amit Shah: Yes

***
Amit Shah: Yes Singhal...
G.L. Singhal: Sir they have reached at the same place as yesterday.
Amit Shah: Home ?
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: They didn't go in afternoon.
G.L. Singhal: They were there only at the hotel the whole day.
Amit Shah: Please get it verified properly.
G.L. Singhal: Sir… I have already called for a car. And sir I will make it placed below the block itself along with the car 

and our men.
Amit Shah: Ok…
G.L. Singhal: So that the entire inside movement inside is known to us.
Amit Shah: Please arrange for extra force on motorcycle as well.
G.L. Singhal: Sir… I have positioned (men on) two motorcycles and a person is sent in a car. They will reach in 10 

minutes.
Amit Shah: Okay

***
Amit Shah:  That lady’s mother’s operation is going to take place at Sterling 328
G.L.Singhal:  Yes Sir…they have left and are going towards Sterling only.
Amit Shah: Alright…
G.L.Singhal: Yes Sir..
Amit Shah: In 328… ok ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes Sir

***
Amit Shah:  Yes Singhal…what news ?
G.L. Singhal: They are there only, Sir.
Amit Shah: In  sterling.
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir.

***
Amit Shah: Yes…
G.L.Singhal:  Sir she has just left with the boy who came yesterday
Amit Shah: Hmm…
G.L.Singhal: And they are at the Coffee Day near Shyamal Chaar Raasta.
Amit Shah: That means… from the hospital ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir… from the hospital, she is now with boy who came in Skoda car at the Coffee day near Shyamal
Amit Shah: Ok…
G.L.Singhal: Secondly sir… I have also asked for the CD of CCTV Footage of four  five hotels there. And sir I also called 

for cctv camera footage that are installed near hotels on highway. 
Amit Shah:  Yes sir…

***
Amit Shah: May be she has some parallel arrangements elsewhere am I clear….. So get a bill print of her land line 

now. You may get some local numbers. Understand. Keep her under complete vigil and call 2 -3 men from ATS and 

crime branch and watch her round the clock
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: Means….please don’t doze off at night…..
G.L.Singhal: Sir can I talk to Chudasama and get an officer from him? I can't trust the ATS men
Amit Shah: Tell Chudasama that I have said so and this has to be done!
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir

***
Amit Shah: She is with that boy or with family ?
G.L.Singhal: With that boy sir
Amit Shah: The boy is also there ?
G.L.Singhal: No one else, just that girl sir……..
Amit Shah: What is the name of restaurant ?
G.L.Singhal: That restaurant has opened recently only in front of Havmor.
Amit Shah: Havmor which Havmor?
G.L.Singhal: Havmor which is behind the Navarangpura bus stand sir…..

***
Amit Shah:  They have reached hospital isn’t it?
G.L.Singhal: I will check it sir….our man is there at the Hospital only.
Amit Shah: Ask those who are following them. Whether they are there at the Hospital.
G.L.Singhal: I will right away ask it.
Amit Shah: They were about to go along with the brother and sister in law for lunch.
G.L.Singhal: Sure sir…..i will ask about it as well….
Amit Shah: Please let me know after enquiring about both the places…

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir she reached hotel in Santro car.
Amit Shah: Santro car ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Take the number of Santro.
G.L.Singhal: Ok I will take
Amit Shah: What about that man ?
G.L.Singhal: His location is coming Shahibagh now 
Amit Shah: Weren’t they followed from the hotel ?
G.L.Singhal: Our men were behind only sir. They have just reached.
Amit Shah: I will go via hospital. See if they come down at night. How many persons are deployed there ?
G.L.Singhal: Three persons are behind them.
Amit Shah: What time ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir, hotel, we have 3 persons
Amit Shah: Arrange something different in morning, they should not escape.
G.L.Singhal: Sir our three people deployed behind them are intelligent. So it is better to continue with them only.
Amit Shah: They should sleep one by one
G.L.Singhal: Ya I will see to this
Amit Shah: Do everything okay
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir….

***
Amit Shah: Yes Singhal
G.L. Singhal: Sir, Namaste…
Amit Shah: Yes, Singhal
G.L. Singhal: Sir they came to the hotel at 11 night and in hotel only right now.
Amit Shah: No one came to meet ?
G.L. Singhal: No sir.

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir they have gone to Debark mall to watch movie. Reached just now… For 8:30 pm show
Amit Shah: Ok Where is this Debark ?
G.L.Singhal: Near Fun Republic
Amit Shah: Who else is accompanying ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir there is another girl and one boy in blue T-shirt. 3 of them.
Amit Shah: Keep a watch after the show is over.
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…

***
G.L.Singhal: There only and no movement.
Amit Shah: They may go in rickshaw
G.L.Singhal: No sir… our men are at the parking only besides our car in the parking, that Honda city number 9495 is 

also in the parking…
Amit Shah: She may take a rickshaw
G.L.Singhal: It would be easier to follow her in case she tries and go by rickshaw since she will have to walk until 

approach road to take rickshaw.
Amit Shah: See that alights near lift
G.L.Singhal: Ok sir…

***
G.L.Singhal: Ya sir… they are there only.
Amit Shah: They are about to leave tomorrow morning or evening. 
G.L.Singhal: Right
Amit Shah: Check out which flight is booked ?
G.L.Singhal: All flights to Bangalore are in morning only. I have got it checked
Amit Shah: Any in afternoon ?
G.L.Singhal: At 12:45 
Amit Shah: To Bangalore ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes
Amit Shah: Check out the afternoon flight  to Bangalore and  evening flight to Mumbai  yes 
G.L.Singhal: Ok sir.

***
G.L.Singhal: No movement sir… And I got all flights checked to Bangalore. Not booked in any. Let me check now for 

Mumbai flights may be can find some bookings.
Amit Shah: Ok check for Mumbai
G.L.Singhal: Ok… there is no flight looked for Bangalore, let me check for Mumbai

***
Amit Shah: I am not able to see on my phone
G.L.Singhal: Sir I verified on net everything yesterday
Amit Shah: Since not able to see on phone now, keep proper watch, should not escape. And ask Asari whether that 

man is still in Bhavnagar.
G.L.Singhal: Ok sir I will ask Asari and take the location.
Amit Shah: Ask Asari and take the location.

***
Amit Shah:  I got to know that their ticket was of Jet in the afternoon. It was not cancelled also.
G.L.Singhal: Ok Sir…  will get this checked…
Amit Shah: If you get ticket then how the payment was done is to be verified. Who made the payment 
G.L.Singhal: Right sir 
Amit Shah:  Whether it was through cash or credit card or by any agency. You will come to know through the codes 

mentioned on ticket.
G.L.Singhal: Sir… sir, Ok sir 

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir, in the evening they had gone towards Cross road in Fun Republic and came back in an hour…
Amit Shah: After that they are at home only ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…
Amit Shah: Keep watching the location of the one of Bhavnagar
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…
Amit Shah: Did you take location of Bhavnagar ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir 

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir she has come to her brother's place.
Amit Shah: When was  the last time when that woman was seen by our men ?
G.L.Singhal: She is at home only. Our staff is watching at the home only.
Amit Shah: Did someone see her in afternoon ? She may have gone away in the morning ?
G.L.Singhal: She is there only. She had gone to the shopping complex for half an hour in the afternoon and returned.
 Amit Shah: At what time was she seen ?
G.L.Singhal: Approx. 1:30 pm.
Amit Shah: Ok

***
G.L.Singhal: She is in Gym, got the location sir, one and half to two kilometers away.
Amit Shah: Could you know the name of the Gym ?
G.L.Singhal: No sir but went along with sister in law.
Amit Shah: Ask name and there only? Why don’t you ask the name ? Is she still there now ? Check with staff and let me 

know
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.
Amit Shah: Ask from the gym people.

***
G.L.Singhal: Ananta wellness is the name of the gym sir
Amit Shah: Ananta ?
G.L.Singhal: Ananta Wellness
Amit Shah: Ok…
Amit Shah: Still there only ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir.

***
Amit Shah: This evening the person is supposed to leave. That is the info with Sahib, I mean…….
G.L.Singhal: Sir.. Sir….the lady isn’t it sir?
Amit Shah: Yes check out what flight it could be in the evening….
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…. I will check it out
Amit Shah: May be GoAir. And has that man reached Bhavnagar ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…he has. I have checked out his location and he reached last night.
Amit Shah: If this girl is going to Mumbai make sure he does not go to Mumbai 
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir…..right sir…..
Amit Shah: Did you understand?? And check out on evening flight schedule

***
G.L.Singhal:  Was seen with her bhabhi near Drive-in for shopping and now reached back.
Amit Shah: As such stays back at home only ?
 G.L.Singhal: Yes, mostly stays at home.
Amit Shah: Ok… and that guy from Bhavnagar … and his location ?
G.L.Singhal: Sir… he is there in Bhavnagar only

***
Amit Shah: See that tomorrow early morning she leaves and your staff is not aware…
G.L.Singhal:  Sir… don’t bother  right from 5.30 in the morning our staff is on duty there.
Amit Shah:  Be focused for tomorrow… there is a possibility of leaving tomorrow. And take the current location
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir… ok ok 

***
Amit Shah: Singhal…..
G.L. Singhal: Yes Sir….
Amit Shah: Can we have somebody sent in the flight to Mumbai 
G.L. Singhal: Hmm…..
Amit Shah: Saheb has solid information of some activity so better put somebody on the flight
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir…..very well sir I will send somebody
Amit Shah: Give some money and put him on the flight and second if she has made call from STD PCO at the airport 

have the number checked 
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir….right sir…
Amit Shah: Today from the airport
G.L. Singhal: Yes sir…..
Amit Shah: So please have the numbers checked 

***
G.L.Singhal: No information through that source but I have sent my inspector to watch and get  the list for secret 

verification. That list will be available to me in 2 minutes
Amit Shah: You will get it from Jet ?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir
Amit Shah: That woman boarded the flight?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir and the flight took off as well. Our people would be their for an hour more as they might play any 

mischief and come out.
Amit Shah: No phone call made as yet?
G.L.Singhal: No sir.

***
G.L.Singhal: Sir I  got the list but there is nothing in both 
Amit Shah: You have that list?
G.L.Singhal: Yes sir….. 
Amit Shah: Then send it to me.
G.L.Singhal: ok I will send it sir….
Amit Shah: ok then in Bhavanagar there is one Joshi and a Deputy collector….Please note the names…
G.L.Singhal: sir….
Amit Shah: then Shanti is Narmada’s Deputy Collector….
G.L.Singhal: Yes…
Amit Shah: then Tyagi is Airport officer…hello?
G.L.Singhal: yes sir….
Amit Shah: and one Vidyarthi,DDO of Amreli….
G.L.Singhal: yes
Amit Shah: we have to check whether all these people have come there 
G.L.Singhal: Sir….
Amit Shah: So who is there in Bhavanagar?
G.L.Singhal: Sir Asari has deployed two men there 
Amit Shah: Then talk to Asari only. 
G.L.Singhal: yes sir
Amit Shah: A k Sharma has come or still on vacation?
G.L.Singhal: Sir he is here only.
Amit Shah: Take the numbers of Joshi and Shanti from A K Sharma 
G.L.Singhal: sure sir……
Amit Shah: and also Vidyarthi’s number 
G.L.Singhal: sir….sir….
Amit Shah: And check their  location
G.L.Singhal: Right sir I will take the numbers
Amit Shah: Yes yes…

***
Ig.amr:
G.L.Singhal: There is one hotel called Amazo near Xavier’s college. 
IG(A.K.Sharma): which hotel ?
G.L.Singhal:Amazo…. Amazo….
IG: Amazo
G.L.Singhal:Yes
IG: Yes
G.L.Singhal:there she will come to eat 
IG: who is the boy ?
G.L.Singhal:sir, there is one boy aged 30-32.
IG: Then I think that must be his voice because that voice was a bit doubtful… and…he said that he would eat together. 

He was talking about lunch.
 G.L.Singhal: yes…yes
IG: He said that they would eat together. 
G.L.Singhal:right sir, sir if we take the number then location could be tracked… of 
IG: aahh…no problem…Airtel ?
G.L.Singhal:sir Bhavnagar number.
IG: ok…yes
G.L.Singhal:we will come to know the exact location and his movement 
IG: okay let me enquire about it. I was doubtful about the voice but I have sent it to Saheb
G.L.Singhal:ok….
IG: Because I was doubtful about the voice but I sent it to sahib in CD.
G.L.Singhal:yes…yes,
IG: but I was doubtful about the voice. Partly it was his voice but at times I was suspicious
GL Singhal:sir it is Skoda car with GJ registration, GJ-1HD 7959.
IG: one minute let me write it down 
G.L.Singhal:GJ-1
IG: 1
G.L.Singhal:HD…D for Delhi
IG: HD
G.L.Singhal:7959
IG: 7959
G.L.Singhal:sir it is Skoda car GJ-1HD 7959
IG: Skoda and Which hotel is it?
G.L.Singhal:A….Amazo
IG: Amazo
G.L.Singhal:yes…
IG: where ?
G.L.Singhal:if we go straight from Xavier’s college towards C.G road, three roads are bifurcating on the left is chaar 

Raasta 
IG: which Chaar Raasta ?
G.L.Singhal : you know Xavier college if we go straight from Xavier college towards CG road
IG: yes….
G.L.Singhal:there are three ways
IG: yes….
G.L.Singhal:if you go to right side then comes Samarpan flats…towards left is HL college
IG: yes…
G.L.Singhal:There is a new restaurant at the corner…Italian restaurant Amazo.
IG: hmm ?
G.L.Singhal:Italian restaurant
IG: Italian restaurant, Can we click the photo of that boy?
G.L.Singhal:sir I have already given camera for that but actually due to darkness…... Pen camera is also given. 
IG: Yes….
G.L.Singhal:Actually, we are trying our best we will do whatever we can
IG: what are our people doing inside ?
G.L.Singhal:They have been informed….they have done something
IG: so he is dubious boy and not that man.
G.L.Singhal: sir  if we track the location then we will get confirmation.
IG: ok I will know it.
G.L.Singhal:his booking in hotel is till 11.
IG: ok yes…that means till tomorrow.
G.L.Singhal: yes sir…

***
Amit Shah: Singhal…
G.L.Singhal: Sir
Amit Shah:Keep a  vigilant eye on them because Saheb  will come to know about everything…
G.L.Singhal: Yes… yes sir…
Amit Shah: Tell them with all seriousness 
G.L.Singhal: Yes yes….
Amit Shah: and who all come to meet…
G.L.Singhal: yes yes…
Amit Shah: Does she goes out ?
G.L.Singhal: yes sir…
Amit Shah: And what else she does ?
G.L.Singhal::  Yes Sir…

Biometric e-Shakti initiative of Bihar’s Rural Development Department is illegal & illegitimate

Biometric identification of Biharis like prisoners should be stopped 

Biometric data collection faces legal challenge in Supreme Court on October 22, 2013 

Lawyers, students, citizens should boycott biometric identification
October 19, 2013: The 48 page Report of Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Finance submitted to both the Houses of Parliament in December 2011 reveals that biometric e-Shakti initiative of Bihar’s Rural Development Department is illegal & illegitimate. It is turning Biharis into guinea pigs for biometric technology companies. In the name of ‘Financial Inclusion’, what is unfolding is surveillance of transactions, mobility and every aspect of life. The biometric data collection faces legal challenge in Supreme Court on October 22, 2013 in 12 digit biometric Aadhaar number case. 

The e-Shakti project was launched under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Bihar on February 24, 2009 in Paliganj Block of Patna. More than 5 years and 7 months have passed since the project was launched. It is noteworthy that e-Shakti project was launched within a month of the creation of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) which was brought into its controversial existence on January 28, 2009 by a notification of the Planning Commission. While presenting the Union Budget 2009-10, the then Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee had announced the setting up of UIDAI to “establish an online data base with identity and biometric details of Indian residence and provide enrolment and verification services across the country” in paragraph no. 64 of his speech. It is this notification meant for biometric data collection which faces robust legal challenge in the Supreme Court in the Justice Puttaswamy Vs Union of India case. The case will be heard On October 22, 2013.   

Bihar Government must be persuaded to abandon biometric data collection the way it has been done in UK, USA, France, China and Australia before it is compelled by the Court to do so. There is a compelling logic to reject those parties which implicitly or explicitly support tracking, profiling, databasing and mortgaging of citizens’ rights and their sovereignty under the dictates of their donors and non-state actors.     

Under the e-Shakti project, a Biometric Smart Card which contains particulars of the individuals as textual and biometric data (photograph and fingerprints) in electronic form which is meant to establish identity of the individual. The project has been started the in Patna districts of Bihar as pilot project and proposes to cover approximately 331 Gram Panchayats of 23 blocks. It has disclosed “After successful completion of the pilot phase, the project would cover entire state of Bihar in phased manner.”

The attached report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee reads (in the section on Observations/Recommendations): “The collection of biometric information and its linkage with personal information without amendment to the Citizenship Act 1955 as well as the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules 2003, appears to be beyond the scope of subordinate legislation, which needs to be examined in detail by Parliament.”

This initiative is going to do almost exactly the same thing which the predecessors of Adolf Hitler did, else how is it that Germany always had the lists of Jewish names even prior to the arrival of the Nazis? The Nazis got these lists with the help of IBM which was in the 'census' business that included racial census that entailed not only count the Jews but also identifying them. At the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, there is an exhibit of an IBM Hollerith D-11 card sorting machine that was responsible for organising the census of 1933 that first identified the Jews. IBM has not disputed its involvement in it.
Another promoter of biometric identification, Nandan Nilekani in his book Imagining India describes the ‘Dividends of an autocracy versus a Democracy’ and contends that “ In terms of implementing policies that are good for you, whether you like it or not, autocratic regimes are better than democracies” at page no. 50. Why is Bihar being taken in that non-democratcic route through such identification.

Nilekani has admitted that “biometrics as a tool of surveillance”. But the gullible seem to believe even what is unbelievable-it is for delivery of identity proof and social entitlements. Although Indians are accustomed to advertising and falsehoods purveyed by them but when it comes to advertising by biometric technology companies uninformed citizens are willing to trust even the most untrustworthy of claims.

In 1906, Mahatma Gandhi had encountered the proposal of biometric passes when a Asiatic Law Amendment Ordinance of the Transvaal Government in South Africa in August 22 issue of the Government Gazette that required all Indians and Chinese in the Transvaal region of South Africa, eight years and older, to report to the Registrar of Asiatics and obtain, upon the submission of a complete set of fingerprints, a certificate which would then have to be produced upon demand. Fingerprints were then demanded only from criminals, and the subjection of women to such a requirement had no other objective but the humiliation of Indians.

Gandhi understood well that the Ordinance effectively criminalized the entire community and must be challenged. At a meeting held in Johannesburg, 3000 Indians took an oath not to submit to a degrading and discriminatory piece of legislation. This gave birth to Satyagraha. Gandhi later wrote that the ordinance illustrated hatred towards Indians which, if passed, “would spell absolute ruin for the Indians in South Africa.” 

How is Biometric Smart Card different from the ‘register of Asiatics’ opposed by Mahatma Gandhi? If Biharis forget the lesson of this resistance movement it would “spell absolute ruin for the Indians” of the present and future generations.

A historic eight-year-long resistance campaign against biometric identification happened from August 1906 to January 1914 in the British colony of Natal, and Boer Republic of Transvaal, South Africa. In August 1906, the Asiatic Law Amendment Ordinance was signed into law in the Transvaal. It was a humiliating and discriminating law forcing Indians in the Transvaal to register with the ‘registrar of Asiatics,’ submit to physical examinations, provide fingerprints, and carry a registration certificate at all times. Otherwise, Indians and other ‘Asiatics,’ as they were called, could be fined, imprisoned, or deported. A delegation of Indians sailed to London to meet with British Secretary of State Lord Elgin. In 1912, Gopal Krishna Gokhale visited South Africa and expressed his support for the struggle against biometric idnetification. In early 1914, an agreement was reached with the protestors and the Black Act seeking biometric identification was abolished. 

Historians rightly say that all history is contemporary history. It has been noted that “there is no mention of capturing biometrics in the Citizenship Act or Citizenship Rules 2009. In the absence of any provision in the Citizenship Act, 1955, or rules for capturing biometrics, it is difficult to appreciate how the capture of biometrics is a statutory requirement. Photography and biometrics is only mentioned in the Manual of Instructions for filling up the NPR household schedule and even in that there is no mention of capturing the Iris”.

This has to be seen in the national context as to whether a Prime Minister’s Office which has been promoting biometric data collection purportedly to make delivery of social welfare programs leak proof itself leak proof. Given a choice between leakage or theft of citizens database of sensitive personal information and leakage of public distribution system and delivery social welfare services what would be be chosen and which can be plugged more easily. Recently, database of Greece has been stolen as per Reuters and the database of Pakistan and Egypt has been handed over to US as per the diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks.

Under the influence of biometric technology companies, Bihar Rural Development Department is creating a situation where if you do not have the Biometric Smart Card you may not get the right to have rights.

The project in questions is being implemented by a consortium consisting of Smaarftech Technologies Pvt Ltd. Partners in the e-Shakti project include Bihar’s Rural Development Department is the principal force behind the e-Shakti project, Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (BELTRON), a Govt. of Bihar undertaking which is engaged in business related to Electronics and Computer technologies and services, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), a infrastructure development and finance company. Beltron and IL&FS have together formed a joint venture company, Bihar e-Governance Services and Technology (BeST), which is monitoring the e- Shakti project which is being implemented by the service provider consortium. Smaarftech Technologies Private Limited, an SPV of Glodyne Technoserve Limited implementing, managing & maintaining the NREGS-Bihar (e-Shakti Project) over a period of five years for Department of Rural Development, Bihar. Smaarftech Technologies Private limited is a subsidiary of Glodyne Technoserve Limited. Glodyne Technoserve Limited is a leading IT Services company, having a pan India and US presence which has been partnering with various e-governance initiatives by providing its competencies in the IT Project Management Space.

All claims of benefits from biometric identification are highly suspect. How can the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that questioned Government’s right to collect biometric data be ignored in Bihar. The collection of sensitive biometric information collector is an assault on democratic rights of citizens. It is high time Bihar Government desisted from doing so the way Barack Obama and 25 States of USA opposed the REAL ID Act, 2005 and UK, Australia, China, France and European Court of Human Rights rejected indiscriminate collection of biometric data.

It is the political duty of opposition parties in Bihar to ensure that the enactment of Privacy Bill, 2011 precedes initiatives Biometric Smart Card else the very purpose of the proposed legislation for protection of privacy is defeated. Before the creation of Data Protection Authority of India (DPAI) as envisaged under Section 49 of the Privacy Bill and Central Electronic Services Delivery Commission (CESDC) under Section 8 of the Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011 with proven impeccable judicial competence, the implementation of all biometric data collection related programs must be stopped both in private as well as in the government.

Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL) demands a white paper on the legality of biometric data collection and work undertaken under the project.  CFCL is involved in the research and advocacy against surveillance technologies since 2010. It has appeared before the Parliamentary Committee that questioned the biometric identification of Indians without any legal mandate.

In the face of this assault on citizens’ rights and the emergence of a regime that is making legislatures subservient to database and data mining companies, the urgent intervention of the progressive political parties and informed citizens should not be postponed anymore.

For Details: Gopal Krishna, Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL), Mb: 09818089660, 08227816731, E-mail: gopalkrishna1715@gmail.com