US scribe sues Modi govt for revoking overseas citizenship after story on Indian company 'stealing' global elite's secrets

A US journalist has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government after his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card status was revoked following the publication of a story critical of a prominent Indian businessman, The Guardian reported on Thursday.

In early December 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs accused Raphael Satter, a cybersecurity journalist for Reuters, of publishing work that "maliciously" tarnished India's reputation and his OCI status was revoked.

The publication reported that Satter’s OCI was revoked at the same time when a defamation case had been filed against him in India for a story he had written on the Indian cybersecurity company Appin and its co-founder Rajat Khare.

The article, titled "How an Indian startup hacked the world," revealed Appin's alleged activities, claiming the company had become a "hack-for-hire powerhouse" stealing secrets from executives, politicians, military officials, and wealthy elites globally.

Rajat Khare, through the law firm Clare Locke, has denied any involvement in illegal activities, rejecting any association with the cyber-mercenary business. The law firm stated that Khare “has never operated or supported, and certainly did not create, any illegal ‘hack for hire’ industry in India or anywhere else.” However, Khare has actively pursued legal action against news organizations, including The New Yorker and The Sunday Times, for articles covering Appin's activities, the report said.

Satter claimed he received several threats while investigating Appin’s operations, including a warning of potential "diplomatic action" unless he ceased reporting on the story. According to Satter's court petition, he and his employer, Reuters, received threats from individuals linked to Appin, which has been accused of hacking organisations in India and abroad.

Satter was notified of his OCI card cancellation on the same day that an Indian judge granted an injunction against his story, temporarily forcing its removal. Satter’s lawyer, Karuna Nundy, pointed out the clear timing that "linked" the two events, the report said.

A Delhi court heard Satter's case this week. In a statement to The Guardian, Satter said the Indian government’s decision "effectively cut me off from my family members and a country I hold in great affection and respect."

Satter described the government’s action as a “mistake or misunderstanding” and said he only turned to legal action after receiving no response to his appeal for over a year.

The report said that Satter remains confident that once the integrity of his journalism is demonstrated in Indian courts and the facts are brought to light, the Ministry of Home Affairs will restore his OCI status.

In the past decade, the BJP-led Indian government has revoked more than 100 OCI cards, including that of journalist Aatish Taseer, after he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a Time magazine cover article.