Agencies ‘abandon’ hacker after ‘using’ him
A 26-year-old cyber security expert from Chhattisgarh, who for more than four years helped multiple Indian intelligence agencies track Naxals in Chhattisgarh and stone pelters in Kashmir, has now been forced to approach the Bilaspur High Court after all these agencies reneged on their promise to give him an appreciation certificate and a recommendation letter so that he could pursue advanced studies in cyber security. The agencies include the state police, the Anti-terror Squad (ATS), the Intelligence Bureau, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The Sunday Guardian had in September 2017 done a story (24-YEAR-OLD INFILTRATES SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS OF TERROR OUTFITS, KEEPS TAB) on him on how he was helping the security forces in hacking into the social media accounts of terrorist groups, including the ISIS.
Rohit (name changed) told The Sunday Guardian that none of the top officers who earned laurels and excellent ACRS (annual confidential reports) because of the work that he did for them (by gathering intelligence), were now taking his calls. “They have abandoned me after I told them to fulfill their promise of helping me academically by giving me certificate and recommendation so that I can pursue advanced course in hacking. After I saw that they had no intention of fulfilling their promise, I told them that I will not work for them anymore. It is not an easy job; you need to constantly monitor thousand of groups and sites and do many other things. However, they started threatening me that they will put me in prison if I do not keep helping them. I got scared, after which I wrote to the PMO and despite the PMO asking the Chhattisgarh government to look into my matter, nothing happened. Left with no option, I approached the Bilaspur High Court seeking relief by way of recommendation letter and assistance in a suitable job,” he said. While agreeing with his contentions, the Bilaspur High Court said that since there was no agreement between Rohit and the various security agencies and it was voluntary work, it cannot direct the state government to take any action.
“The contention of the petitioner is that the petitioner has rendered his services to the cyber security field under the respondents for last many years, but he has not been paid any amount whatsoever. This petition has been filed seeking for an appropriate direction to the respondents to firstly issue him experience certificate; secondly, to grant him appropriate reward for the services rendered and thirdly, to issue an appropriate direction to the respondents ensuring that life of the petitioner is protected as there is threat of life. Perusal of records would show that whatever services the petitioner might have rendered to the respondents till date, all are voluntarily. This court does not find any agreement or contract entered into between any of the respondents with the petitioner. In the absence of any agreement or contract, it is difficult to direct the respondents for relief that the petitioner has sought for. In the event, if the petitioner approaches the authorities concerned, they may consider the grievance of the petitioner at the earliest.” According to Rohit, in July 2018, the handlers of some of the terror groups and sites, managed to identify him as an Indian and started sharing his details on sites and groups after which he started getting threatening calls.
Rohit had got in touch with the security agencies, initially through former Lok Sabha MP of Rajnandgaon, Abhishek Singh, whose father was the chief minister of Chhattisgarh at that time. “Among my most important work was identifying at least 48 Kashmirbased ‘bosses’ of stone pelters. I also infiltrated into 28 of their groups and was able to share their identity and plans with security forces much before they could assemble to indulge in stonepelting in Kashmir. Many of the officers got a commendation letter for these inputs that they told their bosses, they had generated,” Rohit recalled.
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