Latest news with #R&AW
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Mehul Choksi sues India in UK high court for ‘kidnapping him' in Antigua
Mehul Choksi LONDON: Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi is suing the Indian govt and five other people in the London high court for orchestrating what he refers to as his 'kidnapping' from Antigua in 2021 in an alleged honeytrap plot. Choksi has claimed in the preliminary hearing that five people working for R&AW kidnapped him in Antigua and smuggled him on a yacht to Dominica in a plot masterminded by the Indian state in order to extradite him to India to face charges in the Rs 13,500 Punjab National Bank scam. Antigua police named Gurdip Bath, Barbara Jarabik, Gurmit Singh, Gurjit Singh Bhandal and Leslie Farrow-Guy as the five suspects, mostly UK-based, in the kidnapping. They are all being sued by Choksi alongside the Indian govt. They all deny the charges. The court documents were served on the ministry of external affairs by the British high commission in New Delhi. Edward Fitzgerald KC, representing Choksi (66), told Justice Freedman on Monday that Choksi was filing a civil suit against the Indian govt for allegedly ordering Choksi to be kidnapped on May 21, 2021 and smuggled by yacht to Dominica. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo India denies any involvement, argues it is protected by state immunity and that the UK courts do not have jurisdiction for this case. Harish Salve KC, representing India's govt, said: 'There is no evidence of India having anything to do with the alleged events. The claimant's account is rife with non sequiturs and unsupported assumptions. Those accused seem a rather unlikely band of state-sponsored conspirators.' Choksi is currently in jail in Belgium where he is fighting extradition proceedings brought by India. Choksi first met Barbara Jarabik, a Hungarian luxury goods expert, in Antigua in Aug 2020. In May 2021 she is alleged to have asked him to visit the apartment she had rented in Jolly Harbour. A group of men of Indian origin burst into the apartment and told Choksi he was 'being detained to be interrogated by Indian agencies', Fitzgerald told the court, London's Times newspaper reported. Choksi alleges that the men told him they worked for R&AW and beat him up, left him unconscious, and tied him to a wheelchair on the yacht to Dominica to extort a false confession from him and implicate the Congress party. 'The evidence points inevitably to India being behind this — they had the motivation, they had the resources,' Fitzgerald told the court, the Daily Telegraph reported. Choksi denies the charges against him. Thenext hearing is expected in September.
India.com
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Special Ops 2 Trailer: Kay Kay Menon is back as RAW officer Himmat Singh to prevent cyber-terrorism, Watch
Ace filmmaker Neeraj Pandey is gearing up for the release of the second season of his hit show ' Special Ops' . On Monday, he treated the audience to an intriguing trailer of the upcoming season, which stars Kay Kay Menon, Prakash Raj, Vinay Pathak, Karan Tacker, Saiyami Kher, Muzammil Ibrahim, Gautami Kapoor, Parmeet Sethi, and Kali Prasad Mukherjee. With Kay Kay Menon reprising his iconic role as R&AW officer Himmat Singh, the makers promise a deeper, darker, and more urgent mission than ever before. This time, he fights to prevent cyber-terrorism, led by Tahir Raj Bhasin, who will be seen as the antagonist. Cyber-Terrorism vs. Himmat Singh in Special Ops 2 On what fans can expect from 'Special Ops 2', Neeraj Pandey, in a press note, said, 'This season reflects the times we live in, where the enemy doesn't announce their arrival. The new-age warfare has altered everything we know about threat, security, and sacrifice. Special Ops 2 is about the war we don't see, until it hits home. It's a reminder that in today's world, the greatest battles are fought without a single bullet fired, but the damage runs just as deep.' Kay Kay Menon also opened up about reprising his iconic character of Himmat Singh. 'Himmat Singh has always fought with grit, intellect, and instinct. But this time, the war isn't visible. The stakes are bigger, the threats more unpredictable and that made this season both relevant and deeply personal to portray. There's a quiet burden Himmat carries of duty, of sacrifice, of knowing more than he can say. This chapter allowed me to explore not just the strategist, but the man behind the mission, the father, the patriot, the constant protector.' Director Shivam Nair added, 'With Special Ops 2.0, we've truly raised the bar–in scale, storytelling, and intensity. This season dives into a world where intelligence operations collide with the fast-changing landscape of AI, digital warfare, and cybersecurity. It's not just thrilling–it's timely. Reuniting with Neeraj Pandey has been creatively rewarding, and together, we've built something that feels both urgent and cinematic.'Karan Tacker also shared how his character of Farooq Ali has evolved over the years.'Farooq has evolved and so has the mission. This season forced us to think beyond guns and disguises. The tension lies in not knowing where the next hit will come from because the enemy is invisible. I'm incredibly proud to be back'. Tahir Raj Bashin, who will be seen as an antagonist in the show, said, 'Joining the world of Special Ops has been an electricfying adrenalin rush. This role pushed me emotionally and physically. Speaking of the character, what makes this antagonist exciting to portray is how layered and rooted in the real world he is. He doesn't need guns, he uses code, data, and people's blind trust. That's what makes him truly dangerous! He doesn't belong to fiction, he exists in the world we live in today'. 'Special Ops 2' will be out out on JioHotstar on July 11.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Neeraj Pandey's spy universe expands with Special Ops Season 2: ‘The unsung hero is the reason…'
Neeraj Panday has made a career out of spy thrillers, whether it's his films Baby (2015), Naam Shabana (2017), and Aiyaary (2018) or his Jio Hotstar show Special Ops, whose second season premieres on July 11. 'There are such unheard stories in the domain that it naturally becomes a magnet for any storyteller,' said Panday at the trailer launch of Special Ops season 2 in Mumbai on Monday. 'The unsung hero also becomes the primary reason because the missions are covert and under plausible denial. Not many in the audience are aware of these adventures,' he added. 'I didn't think it would become so big when I did season 1. Nobody is so narcissistic to think so. Once season 1 came out, we realised it has a longer life,' said Kay Kay Menon, who plays Himmat Singh, a senior R&AW officer in Special Ops. A post shared by SCREEN (@ieentertainment) In season 2, the show assumes an additional layer of thematic resonance in the form of a cyber threat. Kay Kay admitted, unlike his character, he's far from a tech geek. 'I'm not even in the KG class of anything to do with cyber. I don't know anything about it. To play Himmat Singh, who knows all about it, is quite a task. I'm so bad at tech that if I want to post on social media, I've to ask my team how to do that,' admitted Kay Kay. Tahir Raj Bhasin enters the franchise as the chief antagonist in season 2. 'Joining a franchise is like coming into the hostel as a new entrant. Everyone knows each other. The first few days are tough, but you have to gel and get into the part very quickly,' said Tahir. On his role of a 'business tycoon who runs a tech mafia,' Tahir added, 'I was blown away by how unpredictable, layered, and contemporary he is. He doesn't need muscle. He just has control over data. It opens up several questions about what is intelligence and national security today.' While Tahir is the new entrant, favourites from season 1 return too. Vinay Pathak said he's lucky to have made it to season 2 as Delhi Police officer Abbas, given co-director Shivam Nair had plans to kill his character in season 1 itself. 'Shivam Nair called me before season 1 and asked, 'Abbas ko maar de?' But he's given me a new lease of life. I'm still in the same costume, haven't gotten promoted, and am still riding the same bike across Delhi. I don't mind not getting promoted as long as they keep fuelling my bike and I keep doing Special Ops,' quipped Pathak. Karan Tacker also returns as spy Farooq Ali, who was seen getting abducted in Nepal at the end of Special Ops 1.5. 'Neeraj sir has a typical way of writing the screenplay. There are 3-4 lines and then 'action' written in all caps and with exclamation marks. You feel, 'Achha itna hi hai.' Cut to: You're rehearsing for eight days and shooting for two days for one action piece. That is Neeraj Panday for you,' said Tacker. Watch | Special Ops 2 trailer: India faces UPI data theft threat and Kay Kay Menon is the only one who can save us now Both Tacker and Saiyami Kher said they have a gripe with the makers: they want to share screen space with Kay Kay Menon. 'Unfortunately, wo India mein baith ke boring kaam karte hain aur hum duniya ghoomte hain while he gives instructions on phone. Hopefully, Kay Kay sir comes with us in the next season and we get to work with him on field,' said Kher. She'll return as agent Juhi in season 2, and is glad that she gets to do a lot of action as a female spy. 'For women, there are certain roles which people don't write and you wonder why. But even before Special Ops, what Neeraj sir did with Taapsee Pannu in Baby stood out for me. I hadn't seen anything like that in Indian cinema before. I love doing action. I love beating up guys. That's what women feel like on the inside when guys tease them on the streets. I'm just happy he gave me that opportunity,' said Kher. She claimed that Special Ops season 1 set the tone for her filmography in the last five years. 'After the little action I did in the first season, I've played a cop (Jaat), a firefighter (Agni), a cricketer (Ghoomer). Only a pilot and someone from the Navy is left. I've got to play such fiery women in the last five years, which are rarely written for women. I'm very grateful he had two women agents in season 1,' added Kher.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
1979–1983: When Israel was ready to help India denuclearise Pakistan but the plan was called off
In the early 1980s, Israel offered India a plan to bomb Pakistan's fast-developing nuclear site at Kahuta. Motivated by concerns about an 'Islamic bomb' and its implications for West Asia, the proposed operation would have mirrored Israel's 1981 strike on Iraq's Osirak reactor. India came close. Plans were drawn, bases selected, aircraft prepared. But in the end, New Delhi pulled back. That decision, once largely forgotten, is now under fresh political scrutiny. Himanta Biswa Sarma: 'A historic window was squandered' On 15 June 2025, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reignited a long-dormant strategic debate. Writing on X, he said, 'A historic window to safeguard India's long-term security was squandered, for short-term diplomatic comfort.' He claimed that India had the intelligence and operational readiness in the 1980s to strike the Kahuta nuclear facility . R&AW had confirmed uranium enrichment activity there. Israel had offered support, including operational planning. Military agencies were on board. The launch point: Jamnagar air base in Gujarat. According to Sarma, Indira Gandhi had initially approved the strike. But then she backed out. Her son, Rajiv Gandhi , later shelved it permanently under pressure from global powers. Live Events What Israel offered and why According to Deception: Pakistan, the US, and the Global Weapons Conspiracy by Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, Israel saw Pakistan's nuclear progress as an existential threat — not just to India, but to the entire Middle East. In 1979, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin even wrote to UK PM Margaret Thatcher to warn of Pakistan's ties with Libya's Colonel Gaddafi. He feared Pakistan could pass nuclear weapons to Libya. Israel, still fresh off its own successful bombing of Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981, suggested a similar strike on Kahuta. The plan involved Israeli F-16s and F-15s flying into Indian airspace. They would refuel at Jamnagar and Udhampur, while Indian Jaguar deep-strike aircraft would assist the mission. Why the plan was shelved Though Indira Gandhi reportedly gave initial approval, the strike never materialised. A combination of domestic unrest, geopolitical risks, and American pressure weighed in. India in the 1980s was boiling. Punjab was in ferment with the Bhindranwale insurgency. Kashmir was simmering after the execution of JKLF co-founder Maqbool Bhat. The aftermath of the Emergency still hung over Delhi. And in the background, India and Pakistan were edging toward confrontation in Siachen. A strike on Kahuta could have triggered an all-out war. India, unlike Israel, would be in direct range of Pakistani retaliation. And the fallout — nuclear or diplomatic — would land on Indian soil. There were international risks too. The CIA reportedly tipped off Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to issue veiled threats of retaliation using newly acquired F-16s from the US. Washington, keen to use Pakistan to arm Afghan mujahideen against Soviet forces, was in no mood to entertain an Indian-Israeli strike. Then came the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984. Her son, Rajiv, took over and prioritised diplomacy. The Kahuta plan was buried for good. The fallout and what came next By the late 1980s, Pakistan had made significant strides in developing nuclear weapons. The mastermind behind the programme was A.Q. Khan, who had stolen uranium enrichment designs from a Dutch facility. With help from countries like China and North Korea, Pakistan's bomb was becoming a reality. In 1988, Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto signed an agreement prohibiting attacks on each other's nuclear facilities. Since then, the two countries exchange lists of nuclear installations every year on 1 January. But the nuclear story didn't end there. In 1998, just weeks after India's Pokhran-II tests, Pakistan responded with five nuclear tests of its own. The world changed overnight. Nuclear deterrence and its costs Since Chagai-I in 1998, Pakistan's nuclear weapons have cast a long shadow over India's strategic calculus. During the 1999 Kargil War, it limited India's response. In later years, Pakistan's arsenal emboldened its use of proxy terror — from the 2001 Parliament attack to the 2008 Mumbai carnage. India, in response, has adopted a doctrine of surgical strikes and air raids — such as the 2016 Uri operation and 2019 Balakot strike. But each move remains calculated, always weighed against the risk of nuclear escalation. It's this cautious dance that Sarma pointed to when he referred to Pakistan's 'nuclear blackmail.' In his words, India's 'tragic inaction during the 1980s remains a cautionary tale of what could have been — and what wasn't.' Israel's fears didn't start in 1998 Pakistan's nuclear ambitions had long worried Israel. In May 1979, Menachem Begin wrote to Margaret Thatcher, raising the alarm about Zia-ul-Haq's nuclear drive and Pakistan's deep ties with Libya. Begin warned: 'What could happen in the Middle East, and particularly to the men, women and children in Israel should the lethal weapons of mass killing and destruction fall at any time into the hands of an absolute ruler like Colonel Qaddafi.' By 1998, Israeli officials even issued private reassurances to Pakistani diplomats after Islamabad raised fears of a pre-emptive Israeli strike. Israel, under Benjamin Netanyahu, denied any such plan existed. India had a narrow window in the early 1980s to act decisively. It chose restraint. Whether that was prudence or a missed opportunity continues to divide opinion. What remains, however, is a precedent. In 1988, India and Pakistan found a way to at least protect each other's nuclear sites, a rare diplomatic success. But nuclear weapons, once introduced, have changed the logic of war in South Asia. And decades later, that ghost of Kahuta — the raid that never was — still haunts India's strategic thinking.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Historic blunder': Himanta says India missed chance to stop Pakistan from becoming nuclear state; claims Israel offered help
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that the Congress made a "historic blunder" by allowing Pakistan to become a nuclear power in the 1980s without taking action. He said Pakistan has since used "nuclear blackmail" to block international intervention. "At a time when nations today act decisively to neutralise nuclear threats, India's tragic inaction during the 1980s remains a cautionary tale of what could have been—and what wasn't," the Assam CM said in a long post on X. Sarma said intelligence from R&AW had confirmed Pakistan's uranium enrichment at Kahuta. In his post titled "Congress's Historic Blunder: How India Let Pakistan Become a Nuclear State", he claimed Israel offered help—from intel to joint strike planning. He said Jamnagar Air Base was shortlisted as a launch site and the Indian military supported a pre-emptive strike on Kahuta. "India had the capability and consensus to eliminate the threat before it became a reality. Yet at the last minute: Indira Gandhi hesitated, fearing international fallout," the chief minister alleged. He added that Rajiv Gandhi later "shelved the plan, prioritising diplomacy over deterrence under foreign pressure". According to Sarma, in 1988 Rajiv Gandhi signed a no-strike nuclear pact with Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto, pledging not to attack each other's nuclear sites. He noted, "A decade later, Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998. India was pulled into a costly nuclear arms race. Kargil, proxy terror wars, and cross-border strikes have since occurred under Pakistan's nuclear shield." "To this day, Pakistan uses nuclear blackmail to deter international action and legitimize its rogue behaviour," he said. Sarma also accused the CPI(M), an INDIA bloc ally, of promising in their 2024 manifesto to roll back India's nuclear deterrent if elected. 'Where strong leadership demands resolve and foresight, Congress offered caution and delay. A historic window to safeguard India's long-term security was squandered—for short-term diplomatic comfort,' he said.
