Latest news with #IndianForeignService
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Experts discuss terrorism, national security at event in Jaipur
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Jaipur, May 29 (PTI) Defence veterans, diplomats, and academicians came together for a dialogue on terrorism, national security, and civic responsibility at an event organised in Rajasthan's Jaipur on Thursday. The 'Dialogue of Defence Experts in the Context of Operation Sindoor' was hosted by Vishwam, a geopolitical and diplomatic forum, to discuss India's evolving security challenges. Vishwam founder Vikrant Singh emphasised the need to instill patriotism and national awareness among the youth. 'It is essential to provide a deeper understanding of threats to the nation and the role of citizens in preserving democratic and sovereign values," Singh said. Former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Gauri Shankar Gupta highlighted the role of Pakistan-backed terrorism and its international network. 'India will now treat any terrorist attack as an act of war and will respond with decisive force," he said. Retired Colonel Rajesh outlined a long-term security strategy, advocating for the global isolation of Pakistan. An Indian Air Force veteran stressed the importance of constructive youth engagement and renewed focus on nationalist education in India. PTI SDA OZ OZ (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) First Published:
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Uzma Ahmed's story inspired The Diplomat but what motivated her to escape captivity in Pakistan? Her answer gave John Abraham goosebumps
When Uzma Ahmed was trapped in the remote terrains of northern Pakistan, her story became a symbol of grit and hope. A survivor of deception and captivity, Uzma's courageous escape and return to India in 2017 turned her into a beacon of light for countless trafficking victims. Years later, her real-life ordeal inspired a gripping film, The Diplomat, drawing actors John Abraham and Sadia to meet the woman whose strength now fuels a cinematic retelling. In an interview with Instant Bollywood, when Sadia praised Uzma's courage, she humbly responded that it's not the girl (in her) who's brave, it's the mother. Uzma revealed that her sole reason to fight and return home was her daughter, Falak. The only thought in my mind was: I have a daughter. I have to see her again. I must go back,' she said. She recalled how, when she arrived in Pakistan, she didn't know they were supposed to register her entry at the embassy, something they deliberately skipped. It was later, she shared, that JP Sir raised a critical point that if her perpetrators had not done any wrong, why was her entry never officially recorded then? What is the story of Uzma Ahmed? In 2017, Uzma Ahmed, a young mother from Delhi, found herself at the center of an international crisis after being forced into marriage at gunpoint in Pakistan. What began as a hopeful romantic connection quickly spiraled into a nightmare. Her desperate plea for help led her to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, setting off a high-stakes diplomatic rescue mission led by Indian Foreign Service officer JP Singh . Her harrowing experience and eventual escape now form the foundation of the recent movie 'The Diplomat', a gripping political thriller starring John Abraham as Singh and Sadia Khateeb as Uzma. Uzma's story began when she met Taher Ali in Malaysia. Believing he was kind and trustworthy, she accepted his invitation to visit Pakistan. He even promised to help care for her daughter, who suffered from thalassemia. But once she arrived in Pakistan, the reality shattered her expectations. Taher turned out to be already married with children and forced Uzma into marrying him at gunpoint and she was held captive. Fearing for her life and desperate to return to her daughter in India, Uzma fled to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. That's where she met JP Singh, the then Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, who quickly became her lifeline. Singh's decision to help Uzma was not only morally right but also fraught with political consequences. Providing her refuge inside the embassy, legally considered Indian territory, triggered a diplomatic standoff. Uzma's presence in the High Commission set the stage for a complex international legal battle. According to Pakistani law, she needed her husband's permission to leave the country, a deeply problematic requirement in her situation. The embassy, led by Singh, immediately filed a legal petition for her safe return to India, but the case stalled in Pakistani courts. Faced with growing legal and political hurdles, Singh reached out to India's then External Affairs Minister, the late Sushma Swaraj , known for her resolute stance on protecting Indian citizens abroad. Together, they carefully navigated the tightrope of diplomacy while fiercely advocating for Uzma's rights. Singh arranged for legal representation in Pakistan, ensured Uzma's safety within the embassy, and helped her file a counter-petition stating that she had been coerced into the marriage. For weeks, Singh juggled media scrutiny, political pressure, and cross-border sensitivities while making sure Uzma's voice was heard in the courts. After intense legal proceedings, the Islamabad High Court finally ruled in Uzma's favor. On May 25, 2017, she crossed the Wagah border and returned safely to India, greeted not only by her family but also by an entire nation that had followed her story with concern and hope. Directed by Shivam Nair, The Diplomat dramatizes this powerful real-life incident, with John Abraham portraying JP Singh and Sadia Khateeb bringing Uzma's ordeal to the screen.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Anee Bullion case: HC grants anticipatory bail to IFS officer Niharika Singh
LUCKNOW The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Niharika Singh in the Anee bullion case. Her husband, Ajit Kumar Gupta, is the owner of Anee Bullion Industries, which allegedly ran a Ponzi scheme, duping hundreds of investors of crores of rupees. He is the alleged mastermind of the around ₹600 crore Anne Bullion Industries fraud case. A single-judge bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi passed the order on the anticipatory bail plea of the IFS officer. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a money laundering case against Niharika Singh, her husband Ajit Kumar Gupta, and others. According to the agency, the couple collected huge sums of money from gullible investors through fraudulent schemes. Niharika Singh is accused of helping her husband in layering the proceeds of crime through various companies and using them to purchase immovable properties, said the ED. She allegedly used her influence to persuade people to invest in Anee Bullion. The court granted anticipatory bail to Niharika Singh, considering that she cooperated with the investigation and no charge sheet was filed against her in 12 cases related to the scam. The court added that if Singh is taken into custody, she will be released on furnishing two sureties. Due to her active involvement in raising funds by canvassing in various functions organized by Ajit Kumar Gupta and his companies, Singh was referred as the first lady of the Anee Group of Companies. She allegedly aided her husband in commission of scheduled offences and generation of proceeds of crime to the tune of ₹44.44 crore. The complaint stated that the applicant actively and knowingly assisted her husband in acquisition, possession, layering, concealment and utilization of proceeds of crime to the tune of ₹2.03 crore and, therefore, she committed the offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 and punishable under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002. She was made an accused in 12 cases relating to the scheduled offences, but after investigation, her name had not been included in the charge sheet submitted in respect of any of those 12 cases. The trial court issued a non-bailable warrant against the applicant . Having considered the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case coupled with the fact that the applicant is a woman, she stands absolved in all the scheduled offences and has not been arrested during investigation of the present case, which stands concluded, I am of the view that the applicant is entitled to be released on anticipatory bail, said the court. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application stands allowed, added the court. The court also directed Singh to make herself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required. The court directed the applicant not to leave India without the permission of the court.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IFS delegation explores UP's biz potential
Lucknow: A delegation of Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers from 2013-14 is exploring UP's initiatives in trade, exports, tourism and skill development. The visit, organised in coordination with Invest UP, aims to enhance global awareness of Uttar Pradesh's policies and position the state as a premier destination for investment, employment and inbound tourism. As part of the same, the delegation visited the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM), where senior officials, including principal secretary Hari Om, led discussions on aligning skill development with international standards and expanding global employment prospects through high-quality training programmes like 'Special Project Praveen' and rural skill initiatives. Later, the officers interacted with officials in the state tourism department, where they were apprised of the state's 12 mega tourism circuits. , including the Spiritual Triangle of Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj, and the Buddhist circuit, which attracts global pilgrims. The discussions centred on collaborative efforts between embassies and the tourism department to enhance UP's visibility on the global tourism map and attract high-value foreign travelers. Earlier, on May 21, the delegation gathered information on the flagship scheme, One District One Product (ODOP), and the upcoming Export Policy 2025, besides meeting officials in the IT and electronics department.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Seduction and secrets': How diplomat Madhuri Gupta fell for Pakistan ISI's honeytrap
More than a decade before Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's arrest for allegedly leaking military secrets to Pakistan, India was shaken by a similar breach from within diplomatic ranks. During her posting in Islamabad in 2010, Madhuri Gupta, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, was arrested for passing classified secrets to Pakistan's ISI, triggering a major espionage case. Amid intense tensions between India and Pakistan in the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Indian intelligence agencies in early 2010 received alarming signals of a possible mole within the High Commission in Islamabad, NDTV reported. The alerts prompted the then Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Rajiv Mathur to initiate a quiet but decisive counter-intelligence operation, one that would soon zero in on an unlikely suspect, Madhuri Gupta. How intelligence agencies uncovered Madhuri Gupta's Double Life At the time, Gupta held the position of second secretary (press and information) and was better known for her command of Urdu, deep appreciation of Sufi poetry, and intellectual pursuits. But the intelligence trail, built through methodical surveillance, began to unravel a far more troubling reality. Rather than move in immediately, intelligence officials opted for patience and precision. Once suspicions around Madhuri Gupta solidified, the Intelligence Bureau coordinated closely with the chiefs of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), KC Verma, and Home Secretary GK Pillai. It was agreed that surveillance would continue for another fortnight, the report added. During this period, Gupta was subtly fed false information, details designed to track any leaks. When that fabricated intelligence resurfaced through suspected ISI channels, investigators had the confirmation they needed: Gupta was relaying sensitive material to a foreign adversary. Still unaware that a net was closing in around her, Gupta was summoned to Delhi on the pretext of assisting with media preparations for the upcoming SAARC Summit. She reached the capital on 21 April 2010 and reported to the ministry of external affairs the next morning. When Madhuri Gupta arrived at the ministry of external affairs in South Block, Delhi Police' special cell, already informed, quickly moved in. She was arrested within minutes for leaking classified defence information to Pakistan's ISI. Gupta was arrested on 22 April 2010 under the Official Secrets Act. Investigators said she had revealed the identities of Indian intelligence officials posted in Pakistan. Madhuri Gupta's downfall came through a carefully planned honeytrap. Investigators found that a much younger Pakistani agent was sent to seduce her, gaining her trust and extracting sensitive information, which ultimately led to her betrayal. The agent, Jamshed also known as Jim was in his 30s, half her age, tasked with seducing Gupta and extracting sensitive information. The operation was overseen by Mudassar Raza Rana, who knew Pakistan's then interior minister personally. They reached out to Gupta through a female journalist and built her trust by helping her track down a rare book by Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Gupta maintained regular contact with both men using a computer at her Islamabad home and a Blackberry phone. Investigations showed she had become infatuated with Jamshed, expressing wishes to convert to Islam, marry him, and move to Istanbul. Her messages frequently touched on themes of Sufism, Rumi, and Urdu, passions that Jamshed deliberately took advantage of. After being found guilty of spying for Pakistan in 2018, she lived in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, awaiting the verdict of her appeal. She passed away in October 2021 at the age of 64, with her appeal still pending before the Delhi High Court, the report added.
