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Controller General of Patents (CGPDTM) Involved in Computer Scam

Akash G Varadaraj
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Controller General of Patents (CGPDTM) Involved in Computer Scam

Professor Dr. Unnat P. Pandit, the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and TradeMarks (CGPDTM), is under scrutiny for alleged misuse of office and bypassing the Union Commerce and Industry Minister in a controversial computer procurement deal. A recent committee investigation has found Dr. Pandit was responsible for significant ‘administrative lapses’ in the purchase of 1,200 ‘all-in-one’ computers, totaling ₹9.99 crore.

The scandal emerged when Dr. Pandit approved a single-bidder tender in July 2023 without the required consent from Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The tender, processed through Minitek Systems India Private Ltd, rejected seven of eight vendors on dubious grounds, leading to the procurement at an inflated price. The GeM portal’s review revealed violations of government procurement norms.

Despite the indictment, Dr. Pandit remains in his position, overseeing critical intellectual property laws. Efforts to contact him for comment have been unsuccessful. The investigation led by a three-member panel highlighted breaches of the General Financial Rules (GFR) and financial delegation regulations, concluding that the tendering process was flawed and tainted by possible collusion among bidders.

The panel’s report, submitted on  5 March 2024, criticised the lack of market research and the failure to justify the high estimated cost. It also recommended blacklisting companies involved in potential cartel activities. The Ministry is yet to decide on further actions against CGPDTM Dr. Pandit and the bid evaluation committee members.

Navigating legal challenges and ensuring compliance with procurement norms can be complex and daunting. As seen in the recent investigation into Professor Dr. Unnat P. Pandit, even high-ranking officials can encounter significant administrative lapses that have far-reaching consequences.

To safeguard your organisation from similar pitfalls, it’s crucial to have expert legal support. Vakilsearch offers comprehensive and reliable legal services tailored to meet your specific needs. Our team of seasoned professionals provides thorough guidance on regulatory compliance, procurement norms, and government regulations, ensuring your processes are transparent, compliant, and legally sound. Choose Vakilsearch to protect your interests and maintain the highest standards of administrative integrity. Visit Vakilsearch for more information and to consult with our legal experts today.

Vietnamese Hacker Group Targets Indian Users with Fake E-Challan Scam via WhatsApp

Monika Shanmugam
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Vietnamese Hacker Group Targets Indian Users with Fake E-Challan Scam via WhatsApp

Indian users are falling prey to a sophisticated scam involving fake e-challans delivered through WhatsApp, warns a recent report by CloudSEK, a leading cybersecurity firm. According to the report, scammers from a Vietnamese hacker group are orchestrating the scheme to steal personal data and money from unsuspecting victims.

The Modus Operandi

The scam begins with users receiving messages purportedly from Parivahan Sewa or Karnataka Police, issuing fake traffic violation fines. These messages contain links that, once clicked, prompt the download of a malicious Android application package (APK). Once installed, the malicious app requests extensive permissions, including access to contacts, SMS messages, and the ability to manipulate default messaging settings.

The Consequences

The malware, identified as part of the Wromba family, has already infected more than 4,400 devices nationwide. It operates by intercepting sensitive information like one-time passwords (OTPs), enabling hackers to compromise victims’ e-commerce accounts. Fraudulent transactions, primarily involving gift card purchases, have resulted in losses exceeding ₹ 16 lakhs.

Impact and Detection Challenges

Although users across India have been affected, Gujarat and Karnataka have reported the highest number of victims. The perpetrators, located in Báºïc Giang Province, Vietnam, use proxy IPs to evade detection, complicating law enforcement efforts.

Protecting Yourself

Vikas Kundu from CloudSEK emphasises the importance of proactive security measures:

  • Use Antivirus Software: Install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software on your devices.
  • Review App Permissions: Regularly audit and restrict app permissions to minimise exposure.
  • Download from Trusted Sources: Only download applications from official sources like the Google Play Store.
  • Keep Software Updated: Ensure your device’s operating system and apps are regularly updated to patch vulnerabilities.
  • Monitor SMS Activity: Employ tools that monitor and alert you to suspicious SMS activity.
  • Enable Account Alerts: Set up notifications for banking and other critical services to detect unauthorised access.
  • Promote Awareness: Educate yourself and others about the risks associated with unverified apps and phishing attempts.

By adopting these proactive measures, individuals can significantly mitigate the risk of falling victim to such sophisticated cyber threats. Stay vigilant and informed to safeguard your personal information from malicious actors.

Google Courts India’s AI Developers with New Tools and Competitive Pricing

Monika Shanmugam
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Google Courts India’s AI Developers with New Tools and Competitive Pricing

Google is targeting India’s thriving AI developer community with a suite of new tools, programs, and partnerships aimed at fostering AI-driven product development for both local and global markets.

‘India is at the cornerstone of our global AI mission. With its large mobile-first population, booming startup ecosystem, and diverse linguistic landscape, we’re uniquely positioned to drive AI innovation globally,’ said Seshu Ajjarapu, Senior Director at Google DeepMind, in an interview with Moneycontrol.

Ajjarapu highlighted that India leads in adopting Google’s Gemini AI models, with over 1.5 million developers worldwide. India also boasts one of the largest user bases of Google AI Studio, a platform designed for rapid prototyping with generative AI models.

Key Focus Areas: Multimodal, Multilingual, Mobile

Manish Gupta, Director at Google DeepMind, emphasized the company’s focus on multimodal, multilingual, and mobile AI opportunities. ‘We have been working together with our colleagues globally to infuse all these capabilities into Gemini,’ he said.

New AI Models and Enhanced Capabilities

On July 17, during a developer event in Bengaluru, Google announced the release of Gemma 2, the next generation of its open-source AI model. Gemma 2, featuring improved architecture for better performance and efficiency, will be available in 9 billion and 27 billion parameter sizes.

Gemma’s tokenizer, designed to handle India’s diverse languages, was showcased with Navarasa, a multilingual variant for Indian languages built by Telugu LLM Labs. Navarasa supports 15 Indian languages and aims to enhance AI experiences for Telugu speakers globally.

Google also unveiled a 2 million token context window for its Gemini 1.5 Pro model, allowing developers to process more data in a single prompt, such as up to 1 hour of video or extensive codebases.

Benchmarking Indian Languages

Google introduced IndicGenBench, a multilingual benchmark suite for Indian languages, developed by Google DeepMind’s India unit. This suite evaluates the language generation capabilities of large language models across 29 Indian languages, including underrepresented ones like Manipuri, Maithili, Konkani, Marwari, and Bodo.

‘For many of the languages, this is the first such benchmark, which will spur more innovation,’ Gupta noted.

New Technologies for Developers

Google is open-sourcing CALM (Composition of Language Models), a technology that allows developers to combine their specialized language models with Gemma models. This innovation aims to create powerful, efficient, and nuanced solutions for specific use cases and linguistic variations.

‘Our team developed a small model called Morni, which understood Indian languages very well. We wanted to combine it with the power of Gemini, a much richer model with a deeper understanding of the world, but not as good in understanding Indian languages. So how do you combine the two to get the best of both worlds?’ Gupta explained.

Google’s DeepMind India team also contributed to the Matformer framework, which enhances on-device AI capabilities. The framework will be included in the upcoming Gemini Nano version, allowing developers to optimize for performance and resource consumption.

Project Vaani and Agricultural API

Project Vaani, a collaboration between Google, IISc, and ARTPARK, has completed its first phase, providing developers with over 14,000 hours of speech data across 58 languages from 80,000 speakers in 80 districts. The project aims to collect speech data from all 773 districts of India in three phases.

Google also announced the upcoming Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API in limited preview, aimed at making agricultural practices more data-driven and efficient. This API will offer landscape insights at the farm field level and is built on Google Cloud.

India-Specific Pricing for Google Maps

Google introduced India-specific pricing for its Maps platform, claiming a reduction of up to 70% on most APIs. The company also partnered with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to offer developers up to 90% off on select Google Maps Platform APIs.

This comprehensive initiative underscores Google’s commitment to empowering India’s AI developers and fostering innovation across the country’s diverse technological landscape.

Google Slashes Maps API Prices Amid Rising Competition from Ola

Monika Shanmugam
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Google Slashes Maps API Prices Amid Rising Competition from Ola

In a move to counter rising competition from Ola Maps, Google has announced a significant price reduction for its Maps API platform for Indian developers. This announcement comes just a week after Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal offered developers one year of free access to Ola Maps.

At the Google I/O Connect Bengaluru event on July 17, Google revealed that starting August 1, its Maps platform will be available to Indian developers at up to 70% lower costs compared to most APIs. Additionally, the company introduced India-specific pricing and will accept payments in Indian rupees instead of US dollars.

‘For developers using Google Maps Platform, we’re introducing India-specific pricing that is up to 70% lower on most APIs to make it even easier to build location-based solutions,’ Google stated in a blog post.

The new pricing structure will be exclusive to India-based customers who primarily use the service within the country. Google will monitor eligibility through the Google Maps dashboard and may disqualify users who do not meet these criteria.

Developers can use the same billing account for both Google Maps and Google Cloud services. Google is also reducing ‘pay-as-you-go rates’ and increasing the number of monthly requests available in each pricing tier. For example, the Geocoding API, previously priced at $5.00 per 1,000 requests for the first 100,000 monthly requests, will now cost $1.50 per 1,000 requests for the first 500,000 monthly requests for Indian customers.

In a collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Google announced a discount of up to 90% on select Google Maps platform APIs for developers building apps on the state-backed network. This discounted pricing will benefit small businesses across all four roles on the ONDC: seller, buyer, technology service provider, and gateway.

The reduced prices will be available for one year and can be availed between August 1, 2024, and April 1, 2027. At the same event, Google also announced a partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and IT’s (MeitY) Startup Hub to upskill 10,000 homegrown startups in artificial intelligence (AI).

Reacting to Google’s announcement, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal criticised the move on X (formerly Twitter), stating, ‘Dear @Google, too little too late! Reducing prices for @googlemaps, ‘offering to price in ₹’ after #ExitGoogleMaps. Don’t need your fake generosity! Tomorrow, I’ll be writing a blog response and announcing major updates on Ola maps @Krutrim.’

Aggarwal’s comments came shortly after he urged Indian developers to abandon Google Maps and offered one-year free access to Ola Maps on the AI-driven Krutrim platform, along with over ₹100 crore in free credits to developers.

TVS Commits $200 Million to Boost British Subsidiary Norton Motorcycles

Monika Shanmugam
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TVS Commits $200 Million to Boost British Subsidiary Norton Motorcycles

TVS Motor Company has pledged £200 million to its British subsidiary, Norton Motorcycles. This substantial investment will fuel new product development, enhance facilities, and drive research and engineering efforts.

‘With TVS Motor’s backing and global capabilities, Norton is being reinvigorated as a global brand,’ the company stated.

Sudarshan Venu, MD of TVS Motor Company, expressed excitement about this phase: ‘Our vision, commitment, and investment into the Norton brand is entering an exciting phase.’ The plan includes introducing new products and entering new markets for the iconic British brand.

Dr. Robert Hentschel, CEO of Norton Motorcycles, emphasised the impact of the investment: ‘The investment in research and development and leadership has us positioned to take six exciting products to countries across the world.’ These new models, adhering to the company’s philosophy of ‘Design, Dynamism, and Detail,’ will launch over the next three years, starting next year.

Norton is gearing up for international expansion with a focus on the USA, Germany, France, Italy, and India. Richard Arnold, Executive Director of Norton, highlighted the brand’s heritage: ‘Norton’s heritage is vast and plays a key part in our development as a global brand. The products currently in testing and development are incredibly exciting, and I am looking forward to expanding their availability to local dealers in new territories.’

The announcement was made at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Norton’s senior leadership team, including Venu, Hentschel, and Arnold, shared their vision and global expansion plans.

With this significant investment, Norton Motorcycles is set to solidify its position as a global brand and introduce exciting new products to the market.

Earn Up to 7.9%: Banks Roll Out Special Fixed Deposits with High Interest Rates

Monika Shanmugam
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Earn Up to 7.9%: Banks Roll Out Special Fixed Deposits with High Interest Rates

Several top banks have introduced limited-period fixed deposit schemes with attractive interest rates this week. Let’s explore these new offers from State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, and Bank of Maharashtra.

SBI Amrit Vrishti FD Scheme

SBI has unveiled the ‘Amrit Vrishti’ FD scheme, offering higher interest rates for both domestic and non-resident Indian customers. General citizens can earn 7.25% per annum for a 444-day deposit, while senior citizens enjoy a 7.75% rate. This scheme, valid until March 31, 2025, became effective on July 15, 2024.

Bank of Baroda Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme

Bank of Baroda’s ‘bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme’ offers two tenor options with elevated interest rates: 7.25% per annum for 399 days and 7.15% for 333 days. This special scheme, applicable to retail deposits below ₹3 crore, started on July 15, 2024.

Bank of Maharashtra’s New FD Plans

The Bank of Maharashtra has introduced four unique FD plans:

  • 200 days at 6.9%
  • 400 days at 7.10%
  • 666 days at 7.15%
  • 777 days at 7.25%

These plans cater to various investor needs, providing increasing returns with longer tenures.

Other Notable FD Schemes

SBI Amrit Kalash

Previously, SBI launched ‘Amrit Kalash,’ offering 7.10% for general citizens and 7.60% for senior citizens on a 400-day term. This scheme is available until September 30, 2024.

Punjab & Sindh Bank

This bank offers special FDs with tenures of 222 days at 6.30%, 333 days at 7.15%, and 444 days at 7.25%. These rates are valid until September 30, 2024.

Indian Bank

Indian Bank’s ‘Ind Super 400’ and ‘Ind Supreme 300 days’ FDs provide up to 8.00% for super senior citizens. The 400-day FD offers 7.25% for the general public, 7.75% for seniors, and 8.00% for super seniors. The 300-day FD offers 7.05% for the general public, 7.55% for seniors, and 7.80% for super seniors. These schemes are valid until September 30, 2024.

IDBI Bank

IDBI Bank’s ‘Amrit Mahotsav FD’ offers 7.05% for general citizens and 7.55% for senior citizens on 300-day FDs. The 375-day FD offers 7.15% for general citizens and 7.65% for senior citizens. These rates are valid until September 30, 2024.

Expert Insight

Financial expert, Ravi Sharma, states, ‘These limited-period FD schemes are an excellent opportunity for investors to earn higher returns in a low-interest-rate environment.’

Investors should act quickly to take advantage of these lucrative FD schemes before the offers expire.

SC Verdict on Muslim Women’s Right to Maintenance

Akash G Varadaraj
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SC Verdict on Muslim Women’s Right to Maintenance

In a landmark ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court affirmed that a Muslim women’s right to maintenance under criminal law remains intact even if she has claimed her rights under personal law. This decision, echoing the 2001 Daniel Latifi vs. Union of India case, clarifies that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, does not override the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Justice B V Nagarathna’s bench emphasised that universal legal remedies cannot be nullified by religious customs, even if codified. This ruling reinforces the Constitution’s commitment to equality, transcending religious and other divides.

The issue of maintenance for Muslim women has long been contentious. The 1986 Act mandates that a former husband pay maintenance within the iddat period (three lunar months post-divorce). However, Section 125 of the CrPC requires a man to support his wife or former wife if she cannot maintain herself. Despite political and community resistance, the Supreme Court has consistently upheld that personal law cannot override Section 125.

The latest ruling marks a significant shift, framing maintenance not as charity but as a right. ‘This Court would not countenance unjust or Faustian bargains being imposed on women. The emphasis is on sufficient maintenance, not minimal amount. After all, maintenance is a facet of gender parity and enabler of equality, not charity,’ the court stated.

This decision also reframes gender justice as complementary, not antagonistic, to religious freedom, aligning both with constitutional rights. This perspective is particularly poignant given the Constitution’s prominence in recent political discourse and underscores its guiding role in personal law matters, from temple entry rights to excommunication issues.

 In reaffirming Muslim women’s right to maintenance under criminal law, the Supreme Court’s recent verdict marks a pivotal moment for gender justice in India. Upholding equality over religious customs, the ruling underscores the constitutional principles of fairness and dignity for all citizens. At Vakilsearch, we advocate for legal frameworks that uphold these principles, ensuring rights are protected without compromise.  

Centre Cancels FCRA Registration of Centre for Financial Accountability

Akash G Varadaraj
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Centre Cancels FCRA Registration of Centre for Financial Accountability

 The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revoked the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act , 2010 FCRA registration of the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA). This NGO critically examines financial institutions’ impacts on development, human rights, and the environment.

Recently, CFA reported increased health risks and environmental hazards from new projects in the Adani Group’s Special Economic Zone in Gujarat’s Kutch region, warning of significant ecological damage.

Joe Athialy, CFA’s Executive Director, told The Hindu that while they had not received official cancellation orders for CFA’s parent entity, CACIM (India Institute for Critical Action Centre in Movement), they were informed online. Athialy suggested the cancellation, ostensibly due to incorrect financial filings for 2018 and 2019, was an excuse to curb their critical work. ‘This may be just an excuse, as they had all the years to ask us to rectify the mistakes. We certainly believe that the work we did has contributed to this action,’ he said.

Athialy asserted that the government aims to silence critical voices but affirmed CFA’s commitment to continue their mission through innovative methods, including domestic donations.

Earlier this year, the MHA also cancelled the FCRA registration of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). Since 2015, over 16,000 NGOs have lost their FCRA registrations for various violations. Currently, 15,946 NGOs in India hold active FCRA registrations, with nearly 6,000 losing their status from  1 January  2022, due to non-renewal or refusal by the MHA.

Amid challenges faced by NGOs like the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), navigating regulatory landscapes becomes crucial. Vakilsearch offers dedicated legal support to ensure compliance with FCRA and other regulatory frameworks. Our expert team assists in navigating these complexities, safeguarding your organisation’s ability to pursue critical missions without hindrance.

Choose Vakilsearch for comprehensive legal solutions tailored to NGO requirements. Visit Vakilsearch today to learn more about how we can support your organisation in upholding its mission effectively and ethically.

Haryana HRERA Imposes ₹5 Crore Fine on Realtor Vatika

Akash G Varadaraj
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Haryana HRERA Imposes ₹5 Crore Fine on Realtor Vatika

 The Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA), Gurugram, has imposed a ₹5 crore penalty on Vatika Ltd for failing to register its project within the required timeframe. The fine was levied for violating Section 3 (1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016.

Vatika Ltd received a license for its residential project, Vatika India Next, in 2013 from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department of Haryana. However, the company did not apply for RERA registration within three months after the Act was notified in the state in 2017, only doing so after a 2022 notification from the Haryana government prompted HRERA to take suo motu action.

Arun Kumar, Chairman of HRERA Gurugram, stated, ‘It was an ongoing project, and the promoter should have applied for the RERA registration well on time to avoid penalties. HRERA registration is mandatory for all on-going real estate projects where completion certificates were not issued before the Act came into force in 2016.’

Section 3 (1) of the Act prohibits promoters from advertising, marketing, booking, or selling any part of a real estate project without RERA registration. Following the submission of all mandatory approvals, HRERA approved the project’s registration and concluded the penal proceedings for the violation, which is punishable under Section 59 of the Act.

A spokesperson for Vatika Group explained, ‘Due to the development of NH 352 W passing through our project and lack of information from GDMA regarding the road alignments, we could not finalise our service estimates, which are required by HRERA to process the registration. We have complied with HRERA’s imposition of the penalty and will always abide by whatever is deemed fit by the regulators with utmost respect and humility.’

Navigating regulatory requirements in the real estate sector can be complex and challenging. Ensure your projects remain compliant with legal standards through Vakilsearch’s specialised services. Our team offers reliable, efficient, and comprehensive legal support to help you avoid penalties and streamline your registration processes.

Choose Vakilsearch for expert guidance and a seamless experience in adhering to real estate regulations. Visit Vakilsearch today to consult with our professionals and secure the legal assistance your projects need.

T.N. CM Stalin Releases Coffee Table Books on Folk Deities, Forts of Tamil Nadu Brought Out by the Hindu

Akash G Varadaraj
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T.N. CM Stalin Releases Coffee Table Books on Folk Deities, Forts of Tamil Nadu Brought Out by the Hindu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched two captivating coffee table books that delve into the cultural tapestry of the state. Titled ‘Folk Deities of Tamil Nadu: Worship, Tradition and Custom’ and ‘Forts of Tamil Nadu: A Walk-Through,’ these books are a collaborative effort between The Hindu Group of Publications and the state government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department and Tourism Department.

The unveiling ceremony, held at the Secretariat on Tuesday,  9 July 2024, saw K. Ramachandran, Minister for Tourism, receiving the first copy of ‘Forts of Tamil Nadu: A Walk-Through,’ while P.K. Sekarbabu, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, received the inaugural copy of ‘Folk Deities of Tamil Nadu: Worship, Tradition and Custom.’ Nirmala Lakshman, chairperson of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, graced the event.

The Coffee Table Books on folk deities, curated by B. Kolappan, Senior Deputy Editor at The Hindu, explores the diverse pantheon of folk deities worshipped across Tamil Nadu. It highlights the significance of heroes like Madurai Veeran and Muthupattan, revered as deities for challenging societal norms. The publication also features vivid accounts of rituals, customs, and disappearing worship traditions captured through colorful photographs.

‘Forts of Tamil Nadu: A Walk-Through,’ curated by Sanjana Ganesh, Senior Sub Editor at The Hindu, offers a historical narrative of the state’s forts, including iconic landmarks like Fort St. George in Chennai and lesser-known structures at Gingee, Sadras, and Vattakottai. The essays penned by writers from The Hindu and freelance contributors illustrate these forts’ pivotal roles in political history, military strategy, and international trade over centuries.

The launch event, attended by dignitaries including Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, Principal Secretary B. Chandra Mohan, Tourism Commissioner C. Samayamoorthy, and HR and CE Commissioner K.V. Muralidharan, celebrated Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural heritage and its enduring contribution to India’s historical narrative.

Choose Vakilsearch for reliable legal support, expert guidance, and comprehensive solutions tailored to your unique needs. Visit Vakilsearch today to consult with our specialists and secure the professional legal services you need to protect and promote your creative endeavors.

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