Natgrid's CDACPUNE.IN illegal domain takedown

Sarbajit Roy of IAC reports Natgrid's CDACPUNE.IN illegal domain takedown to IT experts at India-Gii (India's pre-eminent IT tech list)

Dear Gii-ites,

A few years back Naavi had posted this [http://www.bloggernews.net/124423]

Are there any updates to this question.

The background is that an emerging political party (!) has recently decided to form various Cab Driver and Auto Chaalak sanghs nationwide. Their acronym is "CDAC" (Cab Driver Auto Chaalak). They initially booked an .IN domain name "CDACPUNE.IN" and intended to setup user sub-domains for user-blogs, like blogspot and tumblr etc. do.

On 2.Aug.2014 (when the domain got activated) I offered to test it out (during the 5 days "Add Grace Period" allowed for domain tasting by .IN Registry policy) by installing a stripped-down open-source highly SEO friendly tasting blog at "natgrid.cdacpune.in" using "TextPress" developed by an Indian coder in God's own country, which is viewable by simple DNS redirects to wherever the blogs are actually hosted, in this case to "natgrid-cdacindia.rhcloud.com", to see how search engines like Google index it. Google indexed it very fast and it was no.3 for "Natgrid" within 24 hours.

2-3 days later I got some phone calls from NATGRID that publication of any material about NATGRID is a violation of Official Secrets Act, and that nothing about Natgrid can be published in public domain since Natgrid is an exempted organisation under RTI Act etc. I disagreed with their interpretation as almost all the material is compiled from reliable 3rd party sources which are easily accessed online - such as DoPT's website, Rajya Sabha reply to questions, and former NATGRID CEO Raghu Raman's own blog in Livemint.

So the "Joint Secretary" Natgrid (which is under MHA) has apparently issued a letter, as did also C-DAC, to NIXI (which has been illegally operating the IN Registry since 2005 as I have established using RTI), and a FIR for impersonation of NATGRD has been filed in Pune by CDAC, and the domain has been shut down by NIXI by deleting its root domain records on 6 August 2014 while still under the AGP period.
No attempt was made to contact the Registrant (an auto chaalak) in this entire process, and the block was all done unilaterally and secretly. The Registrant has thereafter made several complaints to NIXI and CERT-IN but they are evading replying under which provision the domain is disabled or who authorised it or if it was done u/s 69 IT Act.

The blog is still accessible at natgrid-cdacindia.rhcloud.com and CDAC / India Against Corruption are planning to fight this one out and get C-DAC's own website taken down under IT Act and file our own IT Act complaints. The political wing shall probably take a .US domain name and also sue NATGRID and MHA in USA.

We infer that what has actually upset "NATGRID" is that we incidentally posted that the concerned JS is a "superannuated officer" who was last posted as JS in DoPT and also worked on the proposed Privacy Law there. Now Natgrid has apparently also been hiring and rehiring PSU people at astronomical salaries to "nobble" them. So I filed an online RTI using DoPT's portal for this at 1:53 PM on 6-Aug-2014 to MHA which was automatically forwarded to this officer. Within 5 hours he gets the blog shut down at NIXI level. Highly suspicious what ?

Sarbajit Roy

RTI filed on "corrupt" Natgrid CEO Raghu Raman

WWW.SFLC.IN and other human rights NGO's had accessed the text of an online RTI which was filed by India Against Corruption's National Convenor Sarbajit Roy on 6.August 2014 at around 1:53 PM IST. The NATGRID then illegally disabled the blog where the RTI text was uploaded by hacking the INNIC's NXDOMAIN servers using social engineering for root domain CDACPUNE.IN at 7:15 PM IST the very same day. A formal report against NATGRID's hacking has been immediately lodged with CERT-IN at 10:16 PM.

 

-------------------- to CPIO MHA ------------------

Sir

Kindly refer the news report titled as (IB report alleged misconduct by NATGRID chief, UPA ignored but NDA ended his tenure) published in Indian Express dated 20.Jun.2014 by Vijaita Singh. I am additionally given to understand that serious allegations of personal corruption and professional misconduct were made in the aforesaid IB report and elsewhere concerning contracts and assignments related to NATGRID (attached office of MHA) awarded during tenure of  Mr. Raghu Raman to foreign entities, numerous breaches of Official Secrets Act, crony hiring of known persons working in Mahindra, Satyam Computers, Govt of Bahrain etc.,  I am also reliably given to understand that all these crony persons were infiltrated into NATGRID by foreign Intelligence agencies and powers, and the entire NATGRID was effectively financed by the Indian tax-payers to carry out spying for the United States of America and the Congress Party against Indian citizens, including by intercepting emails, telephone calls, postal daks, profiling, hacking of AADHAR data base etc to create fake identities for foreign spy operatives etc. and so on.

Accordingly, since this pertains to massive human rights violation(s) and also allegations of corruption,  kindly provide me the following information

1) Certified copy of each and every official report, if any, alleging corruption in NATGRID or committed by its officers or contractual employees.

2) Certified copy of each and every official report, if any, alleging misconduct in NATGRID or committed by its officers or contractual employees since 01.01.2010 till date.

3) Certified copy of the compensation package(s) paid to CEO NATGRID and other contractual employees of NATGRID from 1.January.2010 till date .

4) Copy of the government order or notification whereby NATGRID was approved. 

5) Copy of the government order(s) or notification(s) whereby NATGRID was established and/or constituted.

6) Copy of  each and every DPR (Detailed Project Report)  relating to approval for NATGRID.

7) Copy of the Governments in principle approval of each and every DPR for NATGRID.

8) List of all foreign entities who have been awarded contracts or done works for NATGRID for payment, directly or indirectly.

9) List of disciplinary charge-sheet(s), if any, issued to employees of NATGRID since 1.January 2010.

10) Copy of each and every permission(s) / approval(s) / sanction(s) granted for facilitating NATGRID to access Information databases of State agencies or State instrumentalities.

11) Copy of each and every permission(s) / approval(s) / sanction(s) granted for facilitating NATGRID to transmit information accessed from State agencies or State instrumentalities over computer networks.

12) Copy of each and every permission(s) / approval(s) / sanction(s) granted for facilitating NATGRID to transmit information accessed from State agencies or State instrumentalities over wireless, radio or telegraph networks.

tag: Sarbajit Roy, India Against Corruption, NATGRID, 

Raghu Raman NATGRID, highly overpaid ex-CEO

Raghu Raman NATGRID,  highly overpaid ex-CEO

Natgrid chief Raghu Raman's pay is 10 times that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

"He was appointed in the rank of secretary to the government and is essentially only availing of his salary which was decided at the time of his appointment," a source said. But additional clauses in his employment contract show that Raman has got himself a sweetheart deal and is in a position to virtually enjoy benefits from both the government and corporate sector.

Additionally, veteran NATGRID trackers like India Against Corruption's National Convenor Sarbajit Roy, believe that Natgrid CEO Raghu Raman and his team of private sector cronies was deliberately planted by Foreign Intelligence agency moles in the PMO and NSA to ensure that (a) NATGRID fails or is delayed, and (b) NATGRID misused its secret powers to spy on Indian citizens on their behalf.

 

 

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/natgrid-chief-raghu-raman-pay-prime-minister-manmohan-singh/1/214290.html

NATGRID :

The National Intelligence Grid : NATGRID is the integrated intelligence grid developed by CDAC-Pune connecting databases of core security agencies of the Government of India. It becomes operational on August 15, 2014 when it shall be dedicated to the nation by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.

NB: NATGRID official website shall only be operational from 15-August-2014

NATGRID ORGANISATION :

National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been set up as an attached office of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi with the approval of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the setting up of NATGRID on 8.4.2010. As mandated by this CCS, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on NATGRID was prepared. The CCS accorded its "in principle" approval to this DPR in its meeting held on 6.6.2011. As per the DPR and CCS approval thereon, the Foundation and Horizon 1 of NATGRID should be set up in 24 months

On 14.06.2012, CCS approved Rs. 1002.97 Crore for implementation of Foundation and Horizon I and some elements of Horizon II of the project. In addition, on 28.11.2013, CCS approved Rs.346.05 Crore for physical infrastructure. CCS, on 13.03.2014, approved the extension of NATGRID project for a period of two years, till 30 June, 2016.

NATGRID FUNCTION :

NATGRID has been setup, as an enabling organisation, with a mandate to automate the existing manual processes for collation of intelligence information by connecting over 21 data sources like telecommunication, banking, airlines etc.

NATGRID as an IT tool will link various databases between User (Intelligence and investigative agencies) and Provider agencies (such as telecom companies) to enhance and augment the country's counter-terrorism capability.

NATGRID MANAGEMENT

NATGRID is managed by the CEO. The CEO, NATGRID was appointed on contract basis w.e.f. 01-12-2009 with the approval of ACC. Thereafter, his contract was extended by 36 months w.e.f. 01-06-2011. The extension of contract was also approved by ACC. The past incumbent was a retired Military Officer. His last assignment was as CEO of Mahindra Defence Land Systems. As such the past incumbent had a defence background and he had not served in a Government intelligence agency.

CEO's compensation package :

• The monthly consolidated remuneration is Rs. 10/- lakhs (fixed). Besides, CEO is entitled to the following facilities/package:
• A car/hired car as per the highest entitlement for officers in Government of India.
• Travel, accommodation and TA/DA as per the highest entitled class for officers in Govt of India.
• Medical insurance policy for self and family whose annual premium is capped at Rs. 15000/-
• Entitled to leave as per CCS (leave) Rules.
• Entitled to deliver lectures not pertaining to his official domain and receive remuneration for the same. With the prior approval of the competent authority (Union Home Secretary), he can be a member of Corporate Boards which are not in conflict with his official position.
• In addition; to deal with functional requirements; CEO, NATGRID is provided with one black berry phone with connectivity charges based on actual (capped at Rs. 8,000/- per month). He will be provided with one laptop with aircard (capped at Rs. 1.25 lakhs) and Rs. 2,000/- per month as internet charges. Both the mobile phones and laptop are to be returned at the end of his tenure.

NATGRID and "Privacy of the citizen" :

NATGRID's security framework has been designed to protect secrecy and privacy of information within the NATGRID system. All extant legal regimes regarding privacy ipso-facto applies to NATGRID. Further, adequate safely measures will be built in into the system in consultation with all concerned to ensured utmost security of informations. The NATGRID system has been designed covering the implementation of template driven investigation process which capture key elements like "why the information is required", "who is asking", "the purpose for which it will used" etc.