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Food grains were taxed in India under VAT even before the implementation of GST - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2022
In the context of revised GST rates on certain food items, an Instagram post is being shared widely claiming that food grains and flour have been taxed for the first time in Independent India. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: This is the first-time since the Independence that food grains (cereals), flour have been taxed in India.
Fact: Various states have been collecting VAT on food grains and flour since 2003. In July 2017, GST replaced VAT. Since then, only branded food grains and flour were charged a GST of 5%. However, according to GST council recommendations, from 18 July 2022, all pre-packaged and labelled food grains and flours will attract a GST of 5% if the quantity of package is less than or equal to 25kg or 25 litre. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched online for various taxes on food grains in the pre-GST regime, and found that various states were collecting VAT (Value Added Tax) on food grains like rice/paddy, wheat, maize etc and flour since 2005.
VAT was introduced into Indian taxation system on 01 April 2005. Every state has its own VAT Act. For example, Andhra Pradesh VAT Act, 2005 can be seen here. Since VAT is in state list, it may vary from one state to another.
Below is the list of some states which levied VAT on Rice/Paddy:
Similarly, the VAT on wheat, maize, flour and other food items of these states can be seen here.
However, Goods and service taxes (GST), implemented on 01 July 2017, replaced all the existing Central and State indirect taxes such as VAT, excise duty and service tax. The GST council, in its 47 meeting, recommended to bring pre-packaged and labelled food items like grains, curd, Lassi, Butter Milk etc. under the purview of GST.
The revised GST rates (updated on 18 July 2022) for the food grains and flour are as follows:
Moreover, the Ministry of Finance clarified that,” A single package of these items [cereals, pulses, flour etc.] containing a quantity of more than 25 Kg/25 litre would not fall in the category of pre-packaged and labelled commodity for the purposes of GST and would therefore not attract GST . However, if for any reason, retailer supplies the item in loose quantity from such package, such supply by retailer is not a supply of packaged commodity for the purpose of GST levy”
To sum it up, this is not the first-time food grains and flour are taxed in India.


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Footage from the Puri Rath Yatra is falsely shared as a crowd at Rahul Gandhi's Bharath Jodo Nyay Yatra - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 24, 2024
A video showing a massive gathering on roads is being shared on social media claiming that it’s the crowd gathered at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharath Jodo Nyay Yatra. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: The video shows crowd gathered at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharath Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Fact: The video dates to 2023 and shows the Jagannath Puri Yatra in Odisha. It has nothing to do with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharath Jodo Nyay Yatra. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On conducting a reverse image search by segmenting the video into keyframes, we discovered a video on Instagram posted by @rahulnairphotographyz, who shared the identical video on his account on 21 June 2023. A comparison between the viral video and the Instagram reel can be seen below.
Additionally, we sought news reports to confirm the commencement date of the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra. As per the reports (here and here), the yatra commenced on 20 June 2023 and concluded on 28 June 2023. This timeframe closely aligns with when the Instagram user shared the video on his account. On the other hand, the second edition of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is named the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra‘ and commenced on 14 January 2024 and concludes on 20 March 2024
To confirm the video’s authenticity, we used Google Maps to find the location and compared images of shops shown in the viral video. Below is a comparison between the location shown in the viral video and the same area on Google Maps.
To sum up, footage from the Puri Rath Yatra is circulated as the crowd at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharath Jodo Nyay Yatra.

source: news-factly

created: January 24, 2024

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Footage of Patna police lathi-charging BJP workers is falsely shared as that of Mewat, Haryana - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 16, 2023
A video is being shared on social media in which police are seen hitting a huge crowd with batons. It is being claimed that the footage shows police lati-charging the Mewat rioters. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Footage shows police in Mewat thrashing the rioters.
Fact: This footage actually shows the police lathi-charge of BJP workers in Patna, Bihar. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
Upon carefully observing the footage, we found a shop named Chhabra Sports and Fitness in front of which some of the footage was shot. A quick Google search revealed that this shop is located in Patna, Bihar. Here you can see the google street view of this shop.
Taking this as a clue, we performed a keyword search on the internet, leading us to various news reports (here, here, and here) from July 2023 concerning this video. One of those reports contained the footage in the viral video. You can find the clips used in the viral video here and here. As per the news reports, in July 2023, Patna police lathi-charged BJP workers who were taking part in a march to ‘Vidhan Sabha seeking a reply on the issue of 10 lakh jobs promised by the Grand Alliance government…’  Reportedly, ‘ the BJP has alleged that one of its leaders died..’ in this incident.
To sum up, a video related to a lathi-charge incident in Patna is falsely shared as Mewat, Haryana.


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For 2018-19,data shows shortfall of 7.5% in SOTR compared to estimates
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 6, 2020
In addition to devolution of central tax revenue and grants-in-aid, states generate a major share of their income from state level taxes which constitute the State’s own Tax Revenue (SOTR). In 2018-19, the shortfall in SOTR was 7.5% compared to budget estimates. This shortfall in the case of central taxes is around 9%.
Similar to the Union Budget, the states also estimate revenues that could be earned in a particular financial year and plan their expenditure accordingly. The sources of State revenues include the taxes levied by the states, non-tax revenue, share in the central tax revenue as well grants-in-aid by the central government. All these estimates are made in the state budget document. The various types of taxes levied by the state are collectively known as ‘State’s Own Tax Revenue’ or SOTR.
Theactual revenue earned by state own’s taxes varies from the estimated revenue,which could have an impact on fiscal deficit and other plans. At the same time,share in central tax revenue depends on the central tax collections. The state governmentdoes not have much influence as far as share in central taxes is concerned. Whilethere is a dependency on the Centre for any grants, a major portion i.e. nearlyhalf of the revenue earned by the states is through their own state-level taxes& other forms of revenue. As per RBI’s
State Finances – A Study of Budgets of 2019-20,out of the total revenue of the States’ nearly 45% is from their own taxes.
Actual
Central tax collections in 2018-19 are 9% less than the budget estimates
The Centre has provided the actual figures of the revenues & expenditure for 2018-19, while presenting the Union Budget for 2020-21. It has reported actual Gross Tax Revenue for 2018-19 as ₹ 20.8 lakh crores as against the revised estimate of ₹ 22.48 lakhs i.e. 92% of the revised estimate. The original budget estimate of revenue to be collected in 2018-19 was ₹ 22.71 lakh crores i.e. the actual tax revenue is around 91% of budget estimate.
Hence, even the amount devolved to the states also has a shortfall compared to the original estimates. ₹ 6.78 lakh crores were devolved to states in 2018-19 from the divisible pool while the revised estimate for 2018-19 was ₹7.36 lakhs. In other words, the shortfall in devolution is more than 9% compared to the revised estimate. Since there is a shortfall in central devolution, the states have to increase their own tax revenues (State’s own Tax Revenue – SOTR) if they are to implement all budget plans without any deviation. However, this does not happen, and even states do not achieve their estimated tax revenue targets. Here is a look at the data for the states and the corresponding shortfall in their own tax revenue compared to the budget estimates.
The data for this analysis is taken from the ‘Account Statements’ submitted by each of the states to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). Data is not available for Delhi, Goa and Puducherry and hence they are excluded from the analysis.
Maharashtra
followed by U.P & Karnataka have the highest SOTR for 2018-19
In terms of the actual collection, Maharashtra has the highest SOTR for 2018-19 with ₹ 1.87 lakh crores. The Budget estimate of SOTR for Maharashtra was ₹ 2.03 lakh crores.
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India has the second-highest SOTR with ₹ 1.56 lakh crores. Tamil Nadu, which stands third in terms of the estimated SOTR of ₹ 1.12 lakh crores has reported the actual SOTR to be ₹ 1.05 lakh crores and stands at the 4th position. Tamil Nadu’s position is exchanged with Karnataka, which has the 4th highest estimates but 3rd highest actual SOTR for 2018-19.
Actual
SOTR of 6 States more than the budget estimates for 2018-19
Ofthe 28 states for whom the data is available with CAG, only 6 states havereported actual SOTR which is more than the budget estimates for 2018-19. Thestates are – Manipur, West Bengal, Odisha, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim.
Manipur’s actual SOTR for 2018-19 is 148% of the estimated tax revenue. The estimate was ₹706 crores, while actual SOTR was ₹ 1046 crores. However, tax earned as a share from central taxes is lower i.e. ₹4689.59 crores (estimate was ₹ 5249 crores). The same is the case for other 3 smaller states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim where the actual SOTR is higher than the estimate, but the share of central taxes is lower than the estimates.
Amongthe bigger states, West Bengal and Odisha have reported actual SOTR which ishigher than the budget estimate for 2018-19.
TheSOTR for West Bengal and Odisha are 134% and 106% of the budget estimates. WestBengal estimated ₹ 45 thousand crores as SOTR for 2018-19, while the actualearnings were ₹ 60.7 thousand crores. Meanwhile, Odisha’s actual SOTR was ₹30thousand crores compared to the estimate of ₹ 28.5 thousand crores.
Amongthe other bigger states – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir (which is nowa UT), Karnataka and Kerala have reported the actual SOTR which is more than95% of the budget estimates. The actual SOTR of these states is 99.8%, 98.8%,98%, 97.9% and 95% of the budget estimates respectively.
Theactual SOTR of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand was  80% of the budget estimates for 2018-19. Theactual SOTR as reported by Arunachal Pradesh was only 20.9% of the estimated ₹5 thousand crores in 2018-19.
Collections
of State GST & Sales Tax have a major bearing on actual SOTR
State GST and Sales Tax form the major components of  SOTR. Out of the total actual SOTR, SGST forms approximately 44% and Sales tax forms nearly 22%. Hence the collection of these two has a major bearing on SOTR.
WestBengal whose actual SOTR was 34% more than the estimates reported more thandouble the SGST collections compared to the estimates in 2018-19. Its SGSTearnings were 206% of the estimates. Even the sales tax collections in WestBengal were 111% of the estimates. Odisha, the second-best performing states interms of actual vs estimated SOTR has collected 99.8% of estimated SGST and 106.3%of the estimated sales tax in 2018-19.
Gujaratwhich reported an actual SOTR of 99.8% compared to estimates has performedpoorly in terms of SGST collections. It’s actual SGST collections were only81.6% of the estimates. Such poor collections were compensated by around 107%of sales tax collections compared to the estimates.
Chhattisgarh’sactual SOTR was only 82.3% of the estimates. However, the actual collections ofSGST & sales tax were 164% and 110% of the estimates respectively. Theshortfall in SOTR is primarily due to the lower than expected collections underthe head ‘Other Taxes and duties’, where only ₹ 3 thousand crores werecollected as against the estimated ₹ 10.5 thousand crores.
AP
& Telangana have received the least % of the estimated Grants in Aid for
2018-19
Apart from the share in central taxes and SOTR, various grants received from the Centre also form a major portion of the state budget.  For the year 2018-19, Telangana has estimated a receipt of ₹ 29 thousand crores worth of grants-in-aid from the centre. However, the actual grants received was only ₹ 8 thousand crores i.e. only 28.16% of the estimates.
Similarly,Andhra Pradesh was estimated to receive around ₹ 51 thousand crores, butactually received only 38% of the estimate i.e. around ₹ 19 thousand crores.The previous year, i.e. in 2017-18, Andhra Pradesh received 60% of theestimated grants-in- aid.
Meanwhile,Bihar, which estimated the receipt of ₹ 46 thousand crores received around ₹ 25thousand crores i.e. 53% of the estimate. U.P, Rajasthan, J&K and Jharkhandhave received less than 70% of the estimated grants for the year 2018-19.
Meanwhile, 6 states have received more grants-in-aid than the estimated amount for 2018-19. Punjab, which estimated ₹ 8.5 thousand crores received ₹ 11 thousand crores as grants i.e. around 130% of the estimate. Punjab also received higher than the estimated amount of grants (114%)  even in 2017-18.
Gujaratreceived nearly ₹ 19 thousand crores in grants compared to the estimated amountof nearly ₹ 16 thousand crores in 2017-18.
TamilNadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra are the other states who havereceived more in grants-in-aid compared to the estimates in 2018-19.
More
realistic estimates help in better planning
Overthe past couple of years, the growth in actual tax collections has reducedowing to multiple factors. Any decrease in central tax collection has a rippleeffect on states since devolution & grants-in-aid from the centre togetherform an important part of the state’s revenues.
Variouswelfare schemes, plans & state development expenditure are planned takinginto consideration the estimated revenues. Any major shortfall in the estimatedrevenues will have a debilitating impact on these plans.
It is imperative that the states work on increasing SOTR like SGST, sales tax, Land Revenue, Stamps & Registration fees etc. More prudent & realistic estimation of tax revenues would help to plan out the expenditure better.
17 out of the 28 states, of which 14 are larger states have generated less than 95% of the estimated SOTR. This difference would put a strain on the resources and can increase the fiscal deficit or delay major plans.
Featured Image: Shortfall in State’s own Tax Revenue


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For every 100 sanctioned posts in UP Police, 50 are vacant
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 23, 2017
Uttar Pradesh has 1.82 lakh vacancies in its sanctioned police strength, which is more than 30% of all the vacancies in the country. There are more than 24% vacancies in the police force across the country compared to the sanctioned strength.
Law & Order, Crime reduction have always been some of the important election issues in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar etc. But with huge vacancies in their ranks, it remains to be seen whether the Police force will be able to control crime in states like UP just because there is a change in governmen. As per the data shared by the government in the Lok Sabha, there are 5.5 lakh vacancies in the police force across the country as of 1st December, 2016. Against a sanctioned strength of 22.8 lakh, there are only 17.3 lakh personnel actually working taking the vacancy rate to 24%.
Uttar Pradesh has 50% vacancies in its police force
Of all the States & UTs, Uttar Pradesh is at the top when it comes to percentage of vacancies. Against a sanctioned strength of 3.63 lakh in UP, only 1.81 are currently working and there are 1.82 lakh vacancies. Uttar Pradesh alone accounts for more than 30% of all the vacancies in the country. Four more states of Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat & Haryana have more than 30% vacancies.  Overall, ten (10) States/UTs have a greater percentage of vacancies compared to the national average. States like Telangana have recently recruited a substantial number of police personnel and their vacancy percentage will see a reduction. Big states/UTs like Maharashtra and Delhi have less than 10% vacancies in their ranks. The NCRB data for crimes across the country more or less correlates with the police strength in a state. Crime rate in states with high vacancy percentage is higher than those with a low vacancy percentage.
UP, Bihar & West Bengal have less than 100 serving policemen for 1 Lakh people
If the actual number of serving policemen is considered, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal have less than 100 serving policemen for 1 lakh people. West Bengal has only 74, Bihar has only 90 and Uttar Pradesh has only 91 serving policemen for 1 lakh people. The national average of serving policemen for 1 lakh people stands at 143. Of the big states/UTs, only Delhi (456) has more than 250 serving policemen for 1 lakh people because it is the national capital and a large number of policemen are deployed in security of VIPs.
There are also stark variations in the number of sanctioned policemen for 1 lakh people across states. A state like Punjab has 285 sanctioned strength for 1 lakh people while a state like West Bengal has only 111.
IPS vacancies at 19%
As of 01st January, 2016  there are more than 900 vacancies in the IPS against a sanctioned strength of 4802, taking the vacancy percentage to 19%. Odisha has the highest vacancy percentage of IPS officers at 42% followed by Jammu & Kashmir at 38%. Five (5) states have more than 30% IPS vacancies. Thirteen (13) other states have more than 20% IPS vacancies.
Featured Image: IPS vacancies


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Forbes hasn’t listed Rahul Gandhi as the seventh most educated leader in the world - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 16, 2020
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Rahul Gandhi is ranked seventh in Forbes ‘World’s Most Educated Leaders’ list. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Rahul Gandhi ranked seventh in Forbes ‘World’s Most Educated Leaders’ list.
Fact: Forbes never conducted a survey on the education of World leaders. There are no credible evidence to prove Rahul Gandhi as the seventh most educated leader in the world. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the ‘World’s Most Educated Leaders’ list on Forbes website, there is no such list found on the survey lists mentioned in the Forbes website. Forbes company never did a survey on the Educational qualifications of World leaders.
In the affidavit filed for the Amethi Parliamentary constituency, Rahul Gandhi mentioned his educational qualifications as ‘Bachelours of Arts’ from Rollins College in Florida and then completed his M.PHIL (Development Studies) from Trinity College, University of Cambridge. There are no credible sources to prove Rahul Gandhi as the seventh most educated leader in the world.
To sum it up, Forbes hasn’t listed Rahul Gandhi as the seventh most educated leader in the world.

created: October 16, 2020


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Foreign Tourist arrivals on Medical Visa increased by 140% in 3 years
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2016
Medical Tourism to India has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. The number of foreign tourist arrivals to India on a medical visa has increased by about 140% from 2013 to 2015. Close to 2/3rd of these tourists came from just the three countries of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Medical Tourism to India is a growing sector and the data available with the government corroborates this fact. The Ministry of Tourism publishes the data of Nationality-wise Foreign Tourist Arrivals by Visa Type in India in which one of the visa categories is Medical Visa and Medical Attendant Visa. As per the latest data available with the ministry, the foreign tourist arrivals on Medical Visa increased by 140% from 2013 to 2015.
Various Visa categories
Government of India issues the following visas: Business Visa, Conference Visa, Diplomatic Visa, Employment Visa, Emergency Visa, Entry Visa, Journalist Visa, Medical Visa, Missionaries Visa, Permit to re-enter within 2 months, Research Visa, Student Visa, Tourist Visa, and Transit Visa.  Medical Visa is one of the categories and the data related to Medical Visa is captured by the Ministry of Tourism.
1.34 lakh visited India on Medical Visa in 2015
In 2013, more than 50000 people visited India on a medical visa out of the 6.97 million foreign tourist arrivals in India. This number increased to over 75000 in 2014 and to 1.34 lakh in 2015. The number of foreign tourist arrivals on a medical attendant visa also increased from 42000 odd in 2013 to more than 99000 in 2015. In the first 6 months of 2016 alone, close to a lakh foreign tourists have arrived on a medical visa. While the number of foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa has increased by about 140% in 3 years, the percentage of tourists arriving on medical & medical attendant visa has doubled from 2013 to 2015. In 2013, the percentage of tourist arrivals on medical & medical attendant visa was a mere 1.4%, while it jumped to 2.9% in 2015.
Bangladesh, Afghanistan & Nigeria make up for 2/3rd of those coming on Medical Visa
Between 2013 and 2015, more than 2.66 lakh tourists visited India on a medical visa, out of which 1.75 lakh tourists were from just the three countries namely, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nigeria. These three countries accounted for nearly 2/3 of all the tourist arrivals on medical visa. Bangladesh alone accounted for 44% of all the foreign tourist arrivals on medical visa. The other countries in the top 10 were Maldives, Oman, Yemen, Tanzania, Kenya, Uzbekistan and Iraq. The number of tourist arrivals on medical visa from Iraq increased by more than 10 times in 2015 compared to 2014. Even in the first 6 months of 2016, more than 6000 tourists from Iraq arrived in India on a medical visa. In both 2014 & 2015, tourists from 160 different countries visited India on a medical visa.
Medical Tourism & Wellness on the Government’s Agenda
Medical Tourism & promotion of Wellness are high on the agenda of the government. The National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board has been constituted to provide a dedicated institutional framework for the promotion of Medical Tourism, Wellness Tourism and Yoga, Ayurveda Tourism and any other format of Indian system of medicine covered by Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). As per the government information, this Board works as an umbrella organization that governs and promotes this segment of tourism. It has representatives from AYUSH, Quality Council of India, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). For promoting quality in the healthcare sector, the NABH provides accreditation to hospitals and wellness centres for adhering to quality standards. Under the Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme, Ministry of Tourism also provides incentives to stakeholders accredited by NABH. The first meeting of this board was held in January this year.
Featured Image:  Tourism.gov.in


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Forest Land Diverted for Non-Forest Activities - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 19, 2015
To understand the magnitude of this, remember 1 hectare is as big as  a cricket ground. It is like diverting the forest land equal to 99102 cricket fields.
The top offenders in terms of the number of square kilometers of forest cover that saw a significant reduction are
There is also some good news. Between 1987 & 2013, the forest cover also saw a significant addition, of almost 97216 square kilometers. The top performers here are in the table below. However, the total area that was reduced is almost twice during the same period.
These numbers are telling a story, a very poignant story and when this is put in the context of number of natural disasters that India had seen during the same time, may be the math adds up – the question that it raises is if the cost of development is affordable and if this is the development that we seek?
We would like to hear what you think?
Data Source: Reply to Question No 3710 in Lok Sabha dated 16th December 2014 & Forest Survey of India (FSI)
Featured Image: Srinivas Kompally | Forest

created: February 19, 2015


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38% of the Assurances made by the government in the Lok Sabha are still pending
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 3, 2018
Citizens often complain that Political Parties fail to keep up the promises made during election campaign and in party manifestos. Data reveals that it’s not just the promises made to citizens, Governments fail to implement assurances made in the Parliament as well. About 38% of the assurances made during the 16th Lok Sabha are still pending while this number stands at 8.2% for the 15th Lok Sabha.
One of the common complaints with political parties is about their broken promises. Citizens vote in anticipation of those promises being implemented, but realize that most promises are meant to be broken. If you felt that citizens are the only victims, think again. Data available on the Parliament website reveals that 8% of the assurances made by various ministries on the floor of the house, during the 15th Lok Sabha(2009-2014) are still pending. For the current or the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019),  38% of the assurances made are still pending. On other hand, about 33% of the assurances made in the Rajya Sabha by this government are still pending.
What are Assurances?
While responding to questions in the House or during discussions on Bills, Resolutions, Motions etc., Ministers on several occasions give assurances, undertakings or promises to consider a matter, take action or furnish information later. These are termed as assurances. Some of the following are examples of assurances made to the house.
Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurances & the Process
In order to ensure that these assurances are implemented in a reasonable timeframe, the Lok Sabha & the Rajya Sabha have constituted a Committee on Government Assurances with a view to institutionalize the procedure to ensure the fulfillment of these assurances. The process followed is described below.
Status of Assurances made during the UPA
The data for the 14th Lok Sabha (2004-09) is not completely available. The available data shows that 25.6% of the assurances made during the 14th Lok Sabha are still pending. Out of the 160 assurances for which the data is available, 41 are pending while 82 are fully implemented. Twenty one (21) assurances have been dropped.
For the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-14), 8.2% of the assurances made are still pending. Out of the total 5812 assurances given, 4985 are fully implemented, 290 are dropped and 474 are still pending.  More than 50% of the assurances are pending in two (2) different ministries, i.e., Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Skill Development.
What about the Current Lok Sabha?
In the current or the 16th Lok Sabha , 38% of the assurances are still pending. While the assurances made during the last few sessions may take time for fulfillment, it is surprising to note at least 40% of the assurances made during each of the sessions from April 2016 are still pending. Out of the 4625 assurances made so far, 2734 are fully implemented, 84 are dropped and 1758 are pending. The data for the current session will be available after the conclusion of the session.
Department wise in the current Lok Sabha
In the 16th or current Lok Sabha, at least 50% of the assurances made are pending in eleven (11) different ministries. At least 60% assurances are pending in 4 different ministries. Less than 20% of the assurances are pending in only 9 of the 57 ministries.  More than 100 assurances each were made by 12 different ministers while 17 ministries made less than 30 assurances each.
The lone assurance given by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the current Lok Sabha was dropped by the committee in June 2016. The assurance was dropped since the PMO responded to the committee saying since such mechanism was being discontinued.
Incidentally, in the 15th Lok Sabha also, there was one assurance from the PMO that was dropped.
What about Rajya Sabha?
About 7% of all the assurances given till date are pending the Rajya Sabha. Out of the 17171 assurances made so far, 14830 are fully implemented, 1158 are dropped and 1183 are pending.
Though Rajya Sabha is a permanent house, the percentage of pending assurances given during various governments reveals an interesting trend. The percentage of assurances pending (of those assurances made during respective governments) in the Rajya Sabha is substantially less than the pendency in Lok Sabha for each of the last three governments.

created: August 3, 2018


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Former CBI Chief Alok Verma had not termed Narendra Modi the most corrupt Prime Minister in his resignation letter - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 21, 2021
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Former CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma had called Narendra Modi the most corrupt Prime Minister of Independent India in his resignation letter. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma in his resignation letter had called Narendra Modi the most corrupt Prime Minister of Independent India.
Fact: Former CBI Chief Alok Kumar Verma had submitted his resignation letter on 11 January 2019, a day after the PM-led selection panel sacked him as the CBI Chief and transferred him as the Director of Fire Services. Alok Verma in his resignation letter questioned the selection panel’s decision based on the Central Vigilance Committee report. But Alok Verma had not made any statement calling Narendra Modi the most corrupt Prime Minister of Independent India. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the details of Former CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma’s resignation, we found those details in an article published by the NDTV news website on 11 January 2019. This article reported that Alok Kumar Verma had submitted his resignation a day after the Prime Minister-led selection committee sacked him as the Chief of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and transferred him to the Fire services on 10 January 2019. PM-led selection panel sacked Alok Verma as the CBI Chief based on the corruption charges as alleged in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report. According to the article, Alok Verma was removed as the CBI Chief just two days after Supreme Court reinstated him as the Director of CBI. Alok Kumar Verma reportedly refused to take charge as the Director of Fire Services and submitted his resignation as the CBI Chief on 11 January 2019.
Several news websites have acquired a copy of Alok Kumar Verma’s resignation letter and published articles in January 2019. They can be seen here and here.  Alok Kumar Verma in his resignation letter had stated, “The Selection Committee has not provided the undersigned an opportunity to explain the details as recorded by the CVC before arriving at the decision. Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director CBI”. Also, Alok Kumar stated that the decision made against him is a testimony of how the CBI as an institution will be treated by any government through the CVC.  But Alok Kumar Verma had not made any statement calling Narendra Modi the most corrupt Prime Minister in the history of Independent India.
To sum it up, former CBI Chief Alok Verma had not termed Narendra Modi as the most corrupt Prime Minister in his resignation letter.

created: September 21, 2021


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Former CEC Achal Kumar Jyoti did not admit to EVM hacking on orders from PM Modi during his tenure - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 12, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Achal Kumar Jyoti had admitted that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) hacking was done at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tenure. This post claims that former CEC Achal Kumar Jyoti was a Chairman of an EVM chip manufacturing company and had been the Secretary to PM Modi. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti admitted the EVM hacking at the behest of PM Narendra Modi during his tenure.
Fact: Achal Kumar Jyoti had never acknowledged the tampering of EVMs during and after his tenure as the Chief Election Commissioner of India. In 2017, when questions were raised about the EVM hacking during Gujarat Elections, Achal Kumar Jyoti assured to media and the public that no EVMs were tampered during the 2017 Gujarat Elections. Achal Kumar Jyoti had never been the Chairman of the Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) firms that manufacture Electronic Voting Machines in India. Earlier, when a similar message was attributed to former CEC T. S. Krishnamurthy, the Election Commission of India and PIB issued a press note clarifying it as a fake message. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether former Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti had made any such statement admitting about EVM hacking in his tenure, we could not find any press reports confirming this information. In 2017, when questions were raised about the EVM hacking during Gujarat Elections, Achal Kumar Jyoti assured to media and the public that no such EVM hacking had taken place during the 2017 Gujarat Elections. Achal Kumar Jyoti had never accused PM Modi of directing him to hack EVMs for the benefit of BJP.
Achal Kumar Jyoti worked as the Chief Election Commissioner of India from 06 July 2017 to 22 January 2018. A 1975 batch civil servant of the Gujarat cadre, Achal Kumar Jyoti has served as the Gujarat Chief Secretary and in other top bureaucratic positions including as Chairman of the Kandla Port Trust and Managing Director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). But Achal Kumar Jyoti had never been the Chairman of the Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the only two firms that manufacture Electronic Voting Machines in India. The ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ news website published an article confirming these viral posts attributed to Achal Kumar Jyoti as fake. Rajiv Kumar is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India.
Earlier, when a Hindi newspaper clipping was being shared with a similar narrative that former CEC T. S. Krishnamurthy had accused BJP of EVM hacking, the Election Commission of India and Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued a press note clarifying it as a fake message. T. S. Krishnamurthy issued a statement clarifying it as an utterly false and mischievous message that was circulated to create a wrong impression in the ensuing elections.
To sum it up, former CEC Achal Kumar Jyoti did not admit that EVM hacking was done during his tenure following the orders from PM Narendra Modi.

created: October 12, 2022


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Former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna did not join the army to defend her country against Russian invasion - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 4, 2022
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming it as recent pictures of former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna holding a gun and defending her country against the Russian invasion. This post claims that Anastasiia Lenna had swapped her glamorous journey and joined the Ukraine army to fight the Russian troops. In the wake of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s announcement on providing weapons to citizens who wish to defend their country against the Russian troops, this post is going viral on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna joined the army to defend her country against the Russian troops.
Fact: Anastasiia Lenna shared this picture of her holding a gun recently on her official Instagram handle. Later, she clarified that she had shared this picture only to inspire people. Anastasiia Lenna herself mentioned as an Airsoft player who plays with mock weapons and clarified that she had not joined Ukraine Army to fight the Russian troops. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photo, the same photo was found posted on former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna’s official Instagram handle on 22 February 2022. Anastasiia Lenna had shared this picture with hashtags #standwithukraine, #handsoffukraine.
Later, when many social media users shared this picture assuming she had taken up arms to defend her country, Anastasiia Lenna through another Instagram post issued a clarification on this picture, Anastasiia Lenna said, “I AM NOT A MILITARY, JUST A HUMAN. Due current situation I want to talk! I am not a military, just a woman, just normal human. Just a person, like all people of my country. I am also a airsoft player for years. You can Google what #airsoft means. All pictures in my profile to inspire people”. Anastasiia Lenna clarified that she had not shared this picture to do any propaganda but, to show how strong, confident, and powerful the Ukrainian women are.
Several news websites have published articles reporting Anastasiia Lenna’s clarification regarding her viral photo with a gun. They can be seen here and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that Anastasiia Lenna had not joined Ukraine army to fight against the Russian troops.
To sum it up, the former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna did not join the army to fight against the Russian troops.


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Former Pakistan Diplomat Zafar Hilaly did not admit to 300 casualties in IAF airstrike at Balakot - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 12, 2021
A screenshot of a tweet posted by ‘TIMES NOW’ is being shared on social media claiming that a former Pakistani diplomat admitted to 300 casualties in IAF airstrike at Balakot in 2019. In response to the Pulwama terror attack, India conducted a surgical airstrike at Balakot on 26 February 2019. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former Pakistani Diplomat admits to 300 casualties in IAF airstrike at Balakot.
Fact: Former Pakistani Diplomat Zafar Hilaly did not admit to 300 casualties in 2019 Balakot airstrike. Indian Media houses aired an edited video of Zafar Hilaly’s interview in ‘Hum Tak’ news channel. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the claims made in this post, we found several news articles reporting former Pakistan diplomat Zafar Hilaly admitting to 300 casualties in Balakot airstrike. ‘India TV’ (archived), ‘Dainik Bhasker’ (archived), ‘The Tribune’ (archived)  also published articles reporting the same on ‘09 January 2021’. Archived version of the news articles published in ‘Times of India’ and ‘Republic TV’ news websites can be read here and here.
Reporting the same, ‘India Today’ (archived), ‘Republic TV’ (archived) and ‘In Khabar’ (archived) media channels published videos on their official YouTube channels on ‘09 January 2021’.
On ‘10 January 2021’, ‘Live Mint’ reported that ‘300 casualties in Balakot airstrike by India, admits Former Pak Diplomat’ story on their website had been withdrawn due to the factual inaccuracies. ‘ANI’ e also published an article about Pakistan diplomat admitting to 300 casualties in Balakot airstrike. Later, ‘ANI’ had withdrawn their article. The archived version of ‘ANI’ article can be seen here.
On searching for the truth about former Pakistani Diplomat admitting to casualties in Balakot airstrike, we found an article published by Republic TV  on ‘10 January 2021’. Republic TV shared a video claiming it as the interview video of Zafar Hilaly. The same video was telecast by ‘India Today’ channel.
Zafar Hilaly posted a series of tweets on ‘10 January 2021’, clarifying his statement telecasted in several Indian media channels. They can be seen here, here and here. In his tweets, Zafar Hilaly accused ‘Times of India’ news website for telecasting an edited video of his interview in ‘Hum Tak’ news channel. He shared the original video of his interview in one of his tweets. By observing the video, we get to know that interview of Zafar Hilaly on ‘Hum Tak’ news channel took place on ‘23 December 2020’.
On searching for more sources using these keywords, we found the complete interview footage in the official YouTube channel of ‘Hum News’. At 5.17 of this video, we find similar visuals as telecast in Indian media channels. In the original video, Zafar Hilaly said ‘Kam Se Kam Theen Souv Logon ko Unhe Marne Tha, Itthefaqan Wo Nahi Mare’ (They planned to kill at least 300 men on our side, But they couldn’t). In the edited video, ‘Marne Tha’ (planned to kill) sound is replaced with ‘Maara Tha’(Killed). At 4.40 of the original video, Zafar Hilaly said ‘Indian Army planned to attack and kill 300 people studying in a Madrasa. Fortunately, they were not present there’. Also, the video shared by Indian news channels is the reverse display of Zafar Hilaly interview telecast on ‘Hum News’ media channel.
To sum it up, former Pakistan Diplomat Zafar Hilaly did not admit to 300 casualties in IAF airstrike at Balakot.

created: January 12, 2021


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Former PLA Generals names shared as those who died in the Galwan Valley clashes with Indian Army - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 23, 2020
A screenshot with a list of Chinese names is shared on social media claiming that the names listed in the post are the 56 Chinese soldiers who died in the recent face-off with the Indian army at Galwan valley (Ladakh). Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Names of 56 Chinese soldiers who died in the face-off with the Indian army at Galwan valley (Ladakh).
Fact: The names listed in the post are the names of Retired Army Generals of People’s Liberation Army (PLA). These names were taken from Wikipedia and shared falsely as the soldiers who died in the face-off with India. Chinese Government has not announced the names of casualties from their side as of now. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On 15 June 2020, a violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops at the Galwan valley, Ladakh. Indian Government has announced that they lost 20 of their soldiers in this clash with the Chinese army. China’s government as of now has not made any announcement regarding the names of the casualties from their side. Editor in Chief of a china’s news portal ‘Global Times’ also mentioned in his tweet that there is no official announcement from China’s government regarding the casualties from their side in the combat with the Indian army. So, the claims of 56 Chinese soldiers died in the clashes with the Indian army is Unreliable and False.
Chinese side didn’t release number of PLA casualties in clash with Indian soldiers. My understanding is the Chinese side doesn’t want people of the two countries to compare the casualties number so to avoid stoking public mood. This is goodwill from Beijing.
When searched the names mentioned in the list in Google, it is found that they are the names of the Retired Army Generals of People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The same names could be seen in Wikipedia under the title ‘List of Generals of the People’s Republic of China’. Some of the officers named in the list have died long back. So, the Army Generals listed in the post has no relation with the recent clashes that took place between India and China.
To sum it up, the names of former army Generals of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from Wikipedia are shared as the names of 56 Chinese soldiers who died in the face-off with the Indian army at Galwan valley (Ladakh)
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Former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker did not refer to Indian voters as ‘foolish’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 23, 2024
Several posts (here, here, and here) accompanied by a graphic featuring an image of the Former President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, with a text that reads, “The world’s most foolish voters live in India, who vote for leaders who advocate illegal immigrants – European Times,” are being widely shared across social media platforms. The claim accompanying the post suggests that Jean-Claude Juncker said this to the ‘European Times’. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said that the world’s most foolish voters live in India, according to the ‘European Times’.
Fact: There are no reports about the former President of the European Commission or the ‘European Times’ stating that Indian voters are the most foolish in the world. Moreover, there is no media outlet named ‘European Times’. Media outlets with a similar name, ‘The European Times’ have also not reported anything as mentioned in the viral post. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To learn more about this viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search. However, we couldn’t find any reports stating that the former European Commission president or the European Times made these remarks regarding Indian voters. During this search, we found that there is no media outlet named ‘European Times’. However, there are media outlets with a similar name, ‘The European Times’ (here & here). Nonetheless, we could not find any reports published as mentioned in the viral post on these websites. Additionally, we found that this post has been circulating on social media since at least 2018.
During this search, we found a report by CNN published in May 2019. According to this report, during an interview with CNN, Juncker lashed out at “stupid nationalists” on the eve of European elections. The CNN report stated, “Some polls project that populists may become the most powerful group in parliament following this week’s elections in all 28 EU nations, resulting in a lasting impact on the future of the bloc and the continent at large. ‘These populist, nationalists, stupid nationalists, they are in love with their own countries,’ Juncker told CNN in his Brussels office.”
Later, we also scanned Juncker’s X(Twitter) handle to find whether he had posted anything as claimed in the viral post. However, we could not find any such posts. During this search, we came across a tweet by Jean-Claude Juncker congratulating PM Modi on winning the 2019 general elections on 24 May 2019. He also mentioned in the post that India has once again demonstrated the impressive vitality of its democratic institutions. News reports regarding Juncker congratulating PM Modi on winning the 2019 general elections can be seen here.
🇪🇺🇮🇳 Congratulation @narendramodi for the victory in the General Elections & the renewed mandate entrusted to him by the Indian people. #India has again demonstrated the impressive vitality of its democratic institutions. I am looking forward to continue deepening our engagement. pic.twitter.com/VgoiLAUAgL
Upon conducting a reverse search of the photo of Juncker featured in the viral post, we found that it was taken by Aris Oikonomou, a Reuters photographer, on 30 August 2018. This photo was captured when Juncker was chairing the Annual Seminar of the European Commission College in Genval, Belgium. We have contacted Jean-Claude Juncker regarding this viral claim. We will update this fact-check once we receive a response from him.
To sum up, former President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker did not refer to Indian voters as ‘foolish’.


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Former President Pratibha Patil hasn’t made these statements praising the governance of PM Modi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 7, 2021
A message is being circulated on social media claiming that former President of the Country, Smt. Pratibha Patil had recently praised the governance of PM Narendra Modi. This post claim that Pratibha Patil, who belongs to the Congress party, had praised Narendra Modi as an eminent leader and a great visionary to make India a great country. Also, the post claims that Pratibha Patil had emphasised in her statement that she had never seen a great leader like PM Narendra Modi in her entire life. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former President Pratibha Patil had recently praised the governance of PM Narendra Modi.
Fact: Former President Pratibha Patil had not made any public statement praising the Governance of PM Narendra Modi. This message shared in the post is being circulated on social media at least since 2018. Pratibha Patil’s office spoke to ‘The Quint’ news website and clarified that the message circulating on social media is fake. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether the former President of the Country, Pratibha Patil had made such a statement about PM Narendra Modi, we found out that Pratibha Patel had not made any such statement. If Pratibha Patil had praised Narendra Modi as mentioned in the post, several news websites would have published articles reporting that information. We could not find any news article reporting the statements attributed to Pratibha Patil in the post.
The photo shared in the post is circulating on social media at least since 2018. ‘The Quint’ news website had contacted Pratibha Patil’s office for clarification regarding this message in 2018. Speaking to ‘The Quint’, Pratibha Patil’s office officials had said, “This claim is totally false. It’s a fake news that had been viral earlier too”. The clarification issued by Pratibha Patil’s office can be found in the fact-check article published by ‘The Quint’.
To sum it up, former President Pratibha Patil hasn’t made any statement by praising the governance of PM Narendra Modi.


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Former President Ram Nath Kovind does not hold any stake in the State Bank of India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that former President Ram Nath Kovind holds the highest stakes in the country’s largest bank State Bank of India (SBI). This post claims that Ram Nath Kovind owns 57.63% stake in SBI making him the largest stakeholder. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Former President Ram Nath Kovind holds a 57.63% stake in the State Bank of India.
Fact: SBI is a Public Sector Banking and Finance company in which the majority stakes are held by the Government of India. As the shares in a government company cannot be registered in the name of a public office which is not a corporation sole as understood in law, the acquisition or holding of shares in government companies will be held in the name of the President of India or Governor of a State. The Government of India’s present stake in SBI is 56.92%. Ram Nath Kovind does not own this government’s stake in SBI. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On searching for the details of SBI stakeholders and their percentage of total shares in SBI, we found the complete details in the State Bank of India’s Annual Report for the year 2021-22. According to the information provided in the SBI’s 2021-22 annual report, 56.92% of total shares in SBI were held in the name of the President of India. Apart from the President of India’s stake, Non-residents (FIIs/OCBs/NRIs/GDRs) hold 11.31%, Mutual Funds & UTIs hold 13.32%, Private Corporation Bodies hold 0.79%, Banks/FIs/Insurance corporations and others hold the remaining shares. The President of India was named as the top shareholder in SBI with 56.92% of the total equity share.
As per the Department of Public Enterprise’s Company Affairs Memorandum No.15/32/65-IGC, the Government of India holds the shares in all government companies in the name of the President of India or the Governor of a State. As the shares in a government company cannot be registered in the name of a public office which is not a corporation sole as understood in law, the acquisition or holding of shares in government companies will be held in the name of the President of India or Governor of a State. The President or the Governor of a State functioning under the Constitution is not a corporate sole, just as the Administrator-General constituted under the Administrators General Act, 1963.
The memorandum states, “The acquisition or holding of shares in a company by the Government of India or a State Government is “executive action” as contemplated by Articles 77(1) and 166(1) of the Constitution and can, therefore, be made in the name of the President of India or the Governor of the State”. In view of the above, shares in a government company can be held in the name of the President of India or the Governor of a State. Neither former President Ram Nath Kovind nor the present President Droupadi Murmu personally own government’s 56.92% share in SBI. The stake is owned in the capacity of President of India.
To sum it up, former President Ram Nath Kovind personally does not hold any stakes in the State Bank of India.


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Former Rajya Sabha MP Majeed Memon was not Ajmal Kasab’s lawyer - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 22, 2024
Amidst the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a post claiming that Sharad Pawar’s NCP made Ajmal Kasab’s lawyer, Majeed Memon, a Rajya Sabha MP, while the BJP gave an MP ticket to Ujjwal Nikam, who prosecuted Kasab and secured his death sentence, is being widely shared across social media platforms (here, here, and here). In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Sharad Pawar made Ajmal Kasab’s lawyer, Majeed Memon, a Rajya Sabha MP, while the BJP awarded Ujjwal Nikam, the prosecutor who secured Kasab’s death sentence, an MP ticket.
Fact: Majeed Memon, a notable criminal lawyer in India, was not associated with the Ajmal Kasab trial. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from the NCP from April 2014 to April 2020. In 2022, Majeed Memon quit the NCP and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The BJP has allotted the Mumbai North Central MP ticket to Ujjwal Nikam, the public prosecutor in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack trial. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To check the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search and found that the BJP offered lawyer Ujjwal Nikam a Lok Sabha MP seat from Mumbai North Central. Ujjwal Nikam gained nationwide recognition as the public prosecutor in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack trial, securing the death sentence for Ajmal Kasab. He also served as the public prosecutor in various other high-profile cases, such as the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, the Shakti Mills gangrape case, and the Ahmednagar rape and murder case (here, here and here).
During our search, we found that since no lawyer was interested in defending Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, the Court appointed several lawyers (here, here & here) to provide legal aid to ensure a fair trial. Every accused has a right to undergo a fair trial and by not defending the accused it is impossible. Among them, key lawyers involved in his case were Abbas Kazmi, initially appointed as Kasab’s defence lawyer by the court but later removed for non-cooperation; K.P. Pawar, who was appointed after Abbas Kazmi’s removal and represented Kasab during a significant part of the trial; Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah, who defended Kasab in the Bombay High Court; and Raju Ramachandran, who served as Kasab’s lawyer in the Supreme Court of India during his appeal against the death penalty. Gopal Subramanium has led the counsel who argued in favour of the death sentence for Ajmal Kasab in the Supreme Court.
Majeed Memon, a notable criminal lawyer in India, was not associated with the Ajmal Kasab trial. He also expressed that he was not interested in defending Kasab (here & here). Majeed Memon has dealt with various high-profile cases, such as the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, representing many of the accused in that case. He has also defended several film stars and prominent personalities in criminal cases. Majeed Memon was a Rajya Sabha MP from the NCP from April 2014 to April 2020 (here & here). In 2022, Majeed Memon quit the NCP and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
To sum up, former Rajya Sabha MP Majeed Memon was not Ajmal Kasab’s lawyer.


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Former Sportspersons & Now MPs asked only 8 questions related to Sports
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 30, 2016
There are currently 4 MPs in the Parliament who were sportspersons in the past.  Two of them are in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha. Together, they have asked only 8 questions related to sports and none of them is a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on sports.
After the Indian contingent’s disappointing performance in the Rio Olympics, the focus is now on sports infrastructure and state support for sport. There is nobody better than those Members of Parliament (MPs) who have been sportspersons in their past, to raise relevant questions about the status of sports in the country inside the Parliament. We look the questions asked by these MPs and if they are related to sports.
Kirti Azad – Lok Sabha
A total of 460 questions have been asked by various MPs relating to the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports in the 16 Lok Sabha. Former Cricketer Kirti Azad of BJP asked 4 of these 460 questions. His 4 questions on sports are the following
Three of these questions were asked along with other MPs while the fourth one was asked only by him. Kirti Azad has asked a total of 271 questions so far in the 16 Lok Sabha out of which 4 are related to sports.
Prasun Banerjee – Lok Sabha
Prasun Banerjee was a former India Football player and a Trinamool Congress MP. He hasn’t asked a single question in the 16 Lok Sabha till date.
Sachin Tendulkar – Rajya Sabha
Former India Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar asked 14 questions in the Rajya Sabha till date. Only 4 out of these 14 are related to sports. The questions raised by him about sports are the following.
M C Mary Kom – Rajya Sabha
Olympic Bronze Medalist & Boxer M C Mary Kom was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April 2016 and since then, she hasn’t asked any question.
None of these MPs are members of the Standing Committee on Sports
None of these 4 MPs are the members of the Standing Committee on Sports. While Kirti Azad is a member of the Standing Committee on Rural Development, both Prasun Banerjee & Sachin Tendulkar are members of the Standing Committee on Information Technology. M C Mary Kom is a member of the Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare.


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Former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb hasn’t criticised PM Narendra Modi after his resignation - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 16, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that BJP leader and Tripura former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has criticised Narendra Modi’s leadership after his resignation. According to the post, Biplab Kumar Deb said that the country is being ruined under the leadership of Narendra Modi. On 15 May 2022, Manik Saha took oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura, a day after Biplab Kumar Deb resigned from the post. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: BJP leader and former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb has criticised Narendra Modi’s leadership hours after his resignation.
Fact:  Biplab Kumar Deb hasn’t made any such statement against Narendra Modi. After he resigned from the Tripura Chief Minister’s post, Biplab Kumar Deb responded to the media that the party is above all. Deb proclaimed himself as a dedicated party worker and exuded hope that he will be able to do justice to whatever responsibility he was entrusted with by the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Biplab Kumar Deb through a tweet congratulated Manik Saha on taking oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura and expressed his full support for the development of Tripura under his leadership. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether the former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb has made any such statement against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we could not find any news report on this news. After submitting his resignation, Biplab Kumar Deb interacted with the media and said that the party is above all. Speaking to the media, Biplab Kumar Deb said, “The party [BJP] is above all. I have worked for the party under the leadership and direction of PM Modi. I have tried to do justice to the people of Tripura as the head of the party’s state unit and as CM. I have tried to ensure peace, development and steer the state out of the Covid crisis”. He further added, “Everything has a time frame. We work in that time frame. Wherever I am sent, be it CM or some other post, Biplab Deb can fit in everywhere”.
Speaking about the BJP’s decision to replace the Chief Minister ahead of the 2023 Tripura Elections, Biplab Kumar Deb said, “Now, the BJP wants that the party is strengthened, and for that, a party worker like me is needed…It is only if the party is strong that, we will win the elections and subsequently, form the government in the state. After that, of course, a Chief Minister will be chosen”. After submitting his resignation, Biplab Kumar Deb through a tweet thanked the BJP’s central leadership and the people of Tripura for giving him the opportunity to serve Tripura as Chief Minister.
On 15 May 2022, Biplab Kumar Deb made a tweet congratulating Manik Saha on taking oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura. Biplab Kumar Deb also expressed full support to the development of Tripura under Manik Saha’s leadership. Although a few BJP leaders from the Deb’s cabinet were expressing their anger over the resignation of Biplab Kumar Deb, neither Deb nor any other BJP leader in Tripura has criticised Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Heartiest congratulations to Shri @DrManikSaha2 on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Tripura.
Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji together we will work for the development of Tripura.
Best wishes for your tenure. pic.twitter.com/4oKuW7pRA3
To sum it up, former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb hasn’t criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his resignation.


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Fortis Hospital billed Scheduled drug at 4.4 times and Consumable at more than 18 times the procurement price
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 18, 2017
Information put in the public domain by the NPPA reveals that the Gurugram based Fortis Hospital which was in the news for all the wrong reasons, had billed scheduled drugs which were under price control at more than the allowed margin. It has billed certain consumables at more than 1000% margin.
Fortis hospital in Gurugram was recently indicted of grave negligence, unethical & unlawful act by a Haryana government committee that was probing allegations of overcharging in the case involving a seven year old girl who died of dengue. Now the information placed in the public domain by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, has revealed that Fortis hospital billed scheduled drugs at as high as 4.4 times and some consumables at as high as 18.4 times the procurement price in the case of the girl who died of dengue.
DPCO 2013 fixes margin at 16%
The Drugs (Prices Control) Order of 2013 (DPCO) notifies certain drugs as scheduled formulations that form the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). The drugs in this schedule are supposed to be sold at a price ceiling fixed by the DPCO. The DPCO allows a retailer margin of 16% on these scheduled drugs.
Some Schedule drugs were billed at a margin of more than 300%
As per the information shared by NPPA, out of the 39 scheduled drugs used & billed by Fortis hospital which are under price control, only 3 drugs were billed at less than 16% margin while the rest were billed at more than 16% margin. One particular scheduled drug ‘Tranemic’ was billed at a margin of more than 300% compared to the procurement price.
Some Non-Scheduled drugs also billed at more than 900% margin
In the case of non-scheduled drugs which are not under any price control, 15 were billed with a margin of up to 50% while 8 were billed with a margin between 50% and 150%. There were 7 drugs that were billed at a margin of more than 300% with 4 of them billed at a margin of more than 500%. An injection ‘Dotamin’ was billed at Rs 287.5 which is 10 times more than the procurement price of Rs 28.35.
Consumables were billed at obscene margins
Further, NPPA’s information reveals that some consumables were billed at a margin of more than 1000% with one particular item billed at a margin of more than 1700%. Thirty-six (36) of the total 96 consumables used were billed at a margin of more than 500%. Thirteen (13) of them were billed at a margin of more than 1000%.
A pack of 10 bed bath towels/wipes with a procurement price of Rs 33.6 were billed at Rs 350. A disposable syringe with needle was billed at Rs 35 whose procurement price was Rs 3.21. An underpad matty was billed at Rs 1080 whose procurement price was Rs 131.13.
Fortis Hospital NPPA
Featured Image: Fortis Hospital Bills

created: December 18, 2017


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Fortune’s ‘The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’: Modi (in 2015) and Kejriwal (in 2016) were part of this list - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 25, 2021
A post is being shared on social media with a claim that Arvind Kejriwal is in the Fortune magazine’s ‘The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list whereas Modi did not find a place in the rankings. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Arvind Kejriwal, not Narendra Modi, is in Fortune’s ‘The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list.
Fact: The posted news is an old one. Arvind Kejriwal was ranked 42 on the 2016 list. While it is true that Narendra Modi did not get a rank in the 2016 list, he was ranked 5 in the 2015 list. Kejriwal did not find a place in the 2015 list. Both of them did not find a place in the last released 2020 list. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched regarding the news article given in the post, it was found that the news is old. Several news agencies have published similar stories in 2016 about Arvind Kejriwal being on the Fortune magazine’s ‘The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list. Those news articles can be read here, here, and here.
On Fortune’s website, it can be seen that Arvind Kejriwal was ranked 42 in the 2016 list. While it is true that Narendra Modi did not find a place in the 2016 list, he was ranked 5 in the 2015 list. Kejriwal was not part of the 2015 list.
Also, it should be noted that both of them did not find a place in the last released 2020 rankings – ‘World’s 25 Greatest Leaders: Heroes of the pandemic’.
To sum it up, Kejriwal was ranked 42 in the 2016 Fortune’s ‘The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list whereas Modi was ranked 5 in 2015.


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Fox News did not rank Narendra Modi as the second most corrupt Prime Minister in the world - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 21, 2023
A screenshot of a news clipping is being shared on social media claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ranked second among the top 10 most corrupt Prime Ministers list released by the Fox News website. The post claims that Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin were ranked as the top three most corrupt Prime Ministers in the world in a survey conducted by Fox News. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ranked second among the top 10 most corrupt Prime Ministers list released by Fox News.
Fact: Fox News did not publish any such report on the most corrupt Prime Ministers in the world. The report was released by ‘Fox News Point’, an unknown fake website that has nothing to relate with the US-based Fox News media company. The ‘Fox News Point’ website is now unavailable on the internet. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On observing the news clipping carefully, one could see the ‘foxnewspoint.com’ text above the ‘Top 10 Most Corrupt Prime Minister in the World 2017’ list. When we searched for further sources using relevant keywords on the internet, we found that the report was published by ‘www.foxnewspoint.com’, an unknown website that has nothing to relate with the US-based media organisation Fox News, in July 2017.
The ‘Top 10 Most Corrupt Prime Minister in the World 2017’ report published by ‘Fox News Point’ had ranked Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin as the top three most corrupt Prime Ministers in the world.
In 2017, ‘Fox News Point’ published many other reports on ‘Top 10 Most Corrupt Politicians in the World 2017’, ‘Top 10 Most Corrupt Families In The World 2017’ and others. In the ‘About Us’ Section of the ‘Fox News Point’ website, it is nowhere reported that the website or organisation is in any way linked to the US-based Fox News company. The ‘Fox News Point’ is now unavailable on the internet. The website did not provide any details on which basis the ranks were assigned to these politicians and the survey methodology.
Fox News published articles on the most corrupt countries in the world based on the reports published by Transparency International and other organisations. But the report ranking Narendra Modi second among the most corrupt Prime Ministers was not published by Fox News. Reporting that the survey was published by a fake website, several news websites published articles in 2018.
To sum it up, this news clipping of Narendra Modi being listed as the second most corrupt Prime Minister in the world was based on a survey conducted by a fraudulent website.


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France Has Not Banned Citizens from 57 Muslim Countries Amid Riots - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 14, 2023
In the context of the ongoing riots in France over the shooting of a youngster by a policeman for a traffic violation, a post is being shared on social media claiming that France has banned entry for citizens from 57 Muslim countries but only allows Indian citizens. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: France has implemented a ban on citizens from 57 Muslim countries while exclusively permitting entry for Indian citizens in response to the recent riots.
Fact: There is no official statement or media reports regarding France implementing a ban on citizens from 57 Muslim countries. The visa application process for all countries on France’s official visa website appears to be normal without any restrictions. Therefore, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we checked the official website for visas in France to see if there is any announcement of a ban on entry for citizens from specific countries, but we could not find any information regarding this matter. Additionally, we explored the websites of several Middle Eastern country embassies in France, and there is no mention of France implementing a visa ban for their nationals.
Furthermore, there are no credible media reports suggesting that France is considering imposing a ban on the entry of citizens from Muslim nations. The visa application process for all countries on France’s official visa website appears to be normal without any restrictions.
However, amidst the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister Modi to France on 14 July 2023, there are unsubstantiated reports claiming that Pakistani journalists stated Pakistani citizens were banned from entering France, although no official announcement has been made. We have contacted French authorities for clarification on this matter. This article will be updated accordingly if and when additional information becomes available.
To sum it up, there is no evidence to suggest that France has implemented a ban on citizens from 57 Muslim countries.


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Frank Lampard did not make any statement that FIFA hates Portugal Football star Cristiano Ronaldo - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 3, 2023
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Former English Football sportsman Frank Lampard called FIFA a corrupt body saying that it hates Portugal Football star Cristiano Ronaldo. The purported statement of Frank Lampard shared in the post states, “FIFA hates Cristiano Ronaldo. I don’t know how he managed to win five Ballon d’Or with this corrupt FIFA”. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Frank Lampard’s comments about FIFA hating Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fact: Frank Lampard did not make any such statement saying FIFA hates Portugal Football star Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2021, Frank Lampard during an interview chose Cristiano Ronaldo over Messi for his game-winning performances in the semi-finals and finals of the tournaments. But he did not make any statement calling FIFA  a corrupt body saying that it hates Cristiano Ronaldo. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When we searched to check whether former English football player Frank Lampard had made any such statement calling FIFA a corrupt body and that it hates Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo, we could not find evidence of such a statement in any of his interviews or in any of his social media handles (Facebook, Instagram).
In 2021, during an interview, Frank Lampard picked Ronaldo over Messi in Ronaldo vs Messi debate stating, “I actually think for what Ronaldo’s output and actual numbers and goals in big finals, and semi-finals like we’ve seen. I think I maybe give him the edge now.” Reporting Frank Lampard’s statement, several news websites published articles in 2021. They can be seen here and here. Frank Lampard on multiple occasions regarded Ronaldo as an incredible player.
Responding to the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal during an interview, Frank Lampard said, “I think you have to look at two things, one the whole case and whether they are found guilty or not then it’s a simple decision. Maybe now the world of football needs to move on and get someone else in”. Frank Lampard further added, “I think it’s good if it’s investigated in the right way and if they’ve been doing these terrible things, with the biggest game in the world, it’s such a worldwide sport and it shouldn’t be dealt with in that way”. But there is no credible evidence to confirm that Frank Lampard said FIFA hates Cristiano Ronaldo.
To sum it up, Frank Lampard did not make any comments stating that FIFA hates Portugal Football star Cristiano Ronaldo.


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Fraudulent link is shared as ‘Amazon’ website offering gifts for Christmas - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 3, 2022
A post sharing a link of a purported ‘Amazon’ website is being widely circulating on social media claiming that the ‘Amazon’ e-commerce website is offering 15,000 free products as part of the Christmas celebrations. This purported online website of ‘Amazon’ leads to a survey page, asking people to fill out a quiz and share the link with their WhatsApp friends. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: A purported online website of ‘Amazon’ offering 15,000 free products on Christmas.
Fact: The website link shared in the post is a fraudulent one. The ‘Amazon’ e-commerce website did not offer any such gifts on Christmas. The same ‘rediroff.ru’ fraudulent website was luring people in the name of New Year and Sankranti festivals gifts. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching the ‘rediroff.ru’ website shared in the post, we found out the purported website shared in the post is presently not active. When we searched to check whether the ‘Amazon’ e-commerce website had offered any such free gifts on Christmas, we could not find any such announcements on the ‘Amazon’ website or on their official Twitter handle.
On searching for more details related to the ‘rediroff.ru’ website shared in the post, we found a news article reporting the details of this purported ‘Amazon’ website offering gifts on the occasion of Christmas. This article reported it as a fraudulent website, luring customers in the name of Amazon Christmas gifts. Other news articles reporting fraudulent ‘Amazon’ gift offering websites can be seen here and here. A few media reports informed that the same ‘rediroff.ru’ website was now luring people in the name of free gifts on New Year and Sankranti festivals.
‘Amazon’ created a separate webpage for creating awareness over these common gift card scams that are done through social media, e-mails, phone calls, and fake survey websites. ‘Amazon’ alarmed people of these dubious websites conducting fake surveys to obtain customer information for the purposes of identity theft.
Earlier, FACTLY debunked similar claims about contests offering gifts from D-Mart, Rolex, and Flipkart websites. Those articles can be seen here, here, and here.
To sum it up, this purported ‘Amazon’ website offering gifts on Christmas is a fraudulent one.

created: January 3, 2022


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Fraudulent website is collecting user data in the name of Oppo phone giveaway - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 20, 2022
A social media post containing the link of an unknown website is being shared on social media claiming that users will get a new Oppo Phone for participating in a simple Quiz.
Claim: Website giving away new Oppo phones for Quiz participants.
Fact: This website is fraudulent and is not related to Oppo. All the contests and giveaways of Oppo are conducted on their official social media channels and official websites. Moreover, National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal advised users not to share Personal information with unknown websites, as it may lead to cybercrimes. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we found that the URL of the website doesn’t belong to Oppo. Then, We searched the website & social media handles of Oppo India but couldn’t find any relevant information regarding this phone giveaway. Moreover, Oppo India mentioned that all its contests and giveaways will happen on their social media channels.
We then found that this fraudulent website asks for the personal data of the users for participation in the contest.
However, according to National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, one should not share personal details with any unknown website or person, as it may lead to various cybercrimes.
To sum it up, fraudulent website collecting user information in the name of Oppo phone giveaway.

created: December 20, 2022


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Fraudulent website link shared as official COVID-19 Vaccination registration portal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 2, 2021
A post with an attached website link is being shared on social media claiming it as the official portal for registering for the COVID-19 vaccination. The post asks people to register for COVID-19 vaccination using their mobile number on this portal. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: The website link to register for COVID-19 vaccination.
Fact: This link in the post opens a fraudulent website. The PIB mentioned it as a fake website impersonating the Government’s official portal to register for COVID-19 vaccination. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On 28 February 2021, the Government of India announced the COVID-19 vaccination registration portal ‘CO-WIN 2.0’. This portal was open for the general public on 01 March 2021 and can be accessed through www.cowin.gov.in. Co-WIN is a platform for Indian citizens to register for COVID-19 vaccination and schedule their vaccination slots at the nearest vaccination centres.
The PIB, through a tweet, clarified that a fraudulent website ‘https://selfregistration.preprod.co-vin.in/’ impersonating the official ‘CO-WIN’ website getting shared on social media. PIB mentioned this website as a fake website and informed people that any official information related to the COVID-19 vaccination drive is available on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website.
A website 'https://t.co/OgopT8KLTf' is impersonating the official #CoWIN website & is asking users to register for #COVID19 vaccination using mobile number.#PIBFactCheck: This is a FAKE website. Follow @MoHFW_INDIA for official information related to Covid vaccination drive. pic.twitter.com/Ul4DDCiI4R
To sum it up, a fraudulent link shared as the official website for COVID-19 vaccination registration.


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Fraudulent website is seeking user information in the name of secret stimulus package to US homeowners - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 30, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that US Government is giving out $185,000 to US homeowners through a secret stimulus program and users need to enter their details in the accompanying website to get the money. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: US Government is giving out $185,000 to US homeowners through a secret stimulus program and users need to enter their details in the accompanying website to get the money.
Fact: The disclaimer of the website states that the page is an advertorial for loan service and not a Government Program or aid. This site also seeks personal details of users. However, eligible homeowners who are in financial hardship due to COVID-19 can apply and get aid through Homeowner Assistance Fund. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we have gone through the website given in the post and in the disclaimer, it states, ‘This page is an advertorial, and not an actual news article, blog, or consumer protection update. This is not a government program nor is it government aid, this is an advertorial for a loan service’
Moreover, the website seeks personal details of the users like Name, Address, Credit score, Property details etc. which should not be provided to unknown websites according to FTC.
However, The American Rescue Plan ,which was signed into law in March 2021, did include nearly $10 billion for the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). The purpose of HAF is to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after 21 January 2020. Funds from the HAF may be used for assistance with mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, utility payments, and other specified purposes. The HAF program available to a person will depend on the place of stay among other things. Each state or territory developed its own program. Eligibility criteria for this program can be seen here. To know more click here.
To sum it up, a fraudulent website is seeking user information in the name of secret stimulus package to US homeowners.

created: December 30, 2022


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Fraudulent website URL is being shared in the name of Tata group’s 150th anniversary contest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 1, 2021
A post claiming that the TATA Group as part of their 150 anniversary celebrations is conducting an event in which participants stand a chance to win a car is being widely shared on social media platforms. The post further shares an URL which leads to a survey, requesting the users to click it. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: TATA Group as part of their 150 anniversary celebrations is conducting an event in which participants stand a chance to win a car.
Fact: This is a fraudulent website; the URL is completely different from URL of the official website. TATA group through a tweet distanced itself from the link and cautioned public to refrain from clicking and share it with others. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The TATA Group is not organising any sort of event and there is no information regarding such an event on the official TATA website. Further, the URL shared in the post indicates that it leads to a dubious phishing website as it is different from the URL of the original website. Also simple Google search tells us that Tata Group was established in 1868, which means the 150 anniversary of the organisation occurs in the year 2018.
Google search with relevant keywords led us to a tweet by the TATA Group through which the organisation has distanced itself from the viral link and has categorically stated that the promotional activity has nothing to do with the organisation.
#FakeNotSafe
Tata Group or its companies are not responsible for this promotional activity. Please do not click on the link and/or forward it to others.
Know more here: https://t.co/jJNfybI9ww pic.twitter.com/AA38T0oqHn
Further, the tweet directs to another tweet that shares a video compilation of the fraudulent messages which have been shared in the name of Tata Group. The video message cautions public about clicking such fraudulent links and forwarding them to others. The video message further advises public to check for similar communication on the official Tata websites and social media handles when they come across such messages.
Read that message twice before clicking on the link or forwarding it to others. #FakeNotSafe pic.twitter.com/g8GDWTrJQ2
Clicking the link leads us to a questionnaire which upon answering all the questions asks the user to share the link to as many people as possible in order to avail the price which clearly indicates the event is dubious.
However, this is not the first time such messages are being shared on social media. Even earlier, similar messages went viral in the name of the TATA group, D-Mart, Taj hotels, etc. FACTLY debunked those claims earlier and the fact-check stories related to those can be read here, here, and here.
To sum it up, the TATA group is not associated with the dubious website URL being shared in the name of  Tata group’s 150 anniversary contest.

created: October 1, 2021


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Fraudulent websites are collecting user information in the name of fake schemes - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 10, 2023
Update (10 October 2023):
Another post is being shared on social media claiming that the government is providing Rs. 2 Lakh pension every month to retired Indian NRIs above 30 years of age. The post shared a URL link and asked users to avail the benefits of the scheme.
The URL provided in the post directs to a website named NRI Updates, and further clicking on the options provided on the dubious website. The website directs to an unrelated inactive website ‘trk.clmbtrck.in’. The Indian government did not announce any such pension scheme for NRIs above 30 years of age. The details regarding National Pension Scheme benefits available for NRIs can be seen here.
Update (09 October 2023):
Another social media post claims that the US government is providing $100,000 easy loan to eligible salaried or unsalaried US citizens even if they have a poor credit history. The post shared a URL link and asked users to avail the benefits of the scheme.
Upon clicking the URL link provided in the post, the URL directs to a website named “financeupdate.live” and further clicking on the ‘Check Eligibility Here’ button provided on the dubious website, the URL directs to another unrelated inactive website ‘t.amatrck.com’. On searching for further details regarding this website, we found that this website with the domain name ‘https://amatrck.com/’ was registered with “Domains By Proxy, LLC” in January 2019. The US government did not announce any such financial assistance scheme and it is in no way associated with any of these fraudulent websites alluring fake loans to US citizens.
Update (02 August 2023):
Another post advertising a subsidy of $5200 for US citizens with low income is being shared on social media. The narration in the video states, “This may be your last chance to secure free cash to help you pay for essential bills like food, rent or medical expenses. Individuals can apply by using the official links available under this video.” The video says that the subsidy was only available for struggling Americans below the age of 65 and asks the users to register in the link provided below the post to avail benefits of the new scheme. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Website to avail $5200 subsidy provided for low-income US citizens below the age of 65.
Fact: The link provided in the post directs to a private website requesting users’ annual income and the Public Health Insurance Program they are registered with. The link provided in the post is not affiliated with any of the US Government Public Health Insurance Programs like Medicare or Medicaid. Social Security Administration (SSA) warned users not to click on malicious links and give away personal information to prevent identity theft. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
On clicking the link provided in the post, it redirects to a private website ‘https://pmc.usacashrelief.com/‘, requesting information about the user’s annual income and the Public Health Insurance Program they are registered with. Upon providing the information, the website asks users to call a number to avail of the benefits of a $5200 subsidy and $0 health plan. The purported website is not affiliated with any of the US Government Public Health Insurance Programs like Medicare or Medicaid.
No such subsidy, as mentioned in the post, was listed on the official website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) implemented by the US Government helps people with Medicare pay for prescription drugs and lowers the costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage. The eligibility for this subsidy assistance can be determined by either the Social Security Administration (SSA) or their State Medicaid office. Depending on the monthly income and resource limits, the subsidy is provided to the citizens.
Officials from the US National Consumers League and Center for Medicare Advocacy confirmed to AFP that the viral post appears to be “illegitimate or at best highly misleading”. Moreover, the Social Security Administration warns users not to click on malicious links and give personal information as it may lead to identity & monetary theft.
Update (01 February 2023):
Another post is being shared on social media platforms asking senior citizens to register on the website given in the post to get $3034 yearly added to their Social Security checks. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Social media post asking users to click on a website link and enter personal information to get $3034 yearly added to their Social Security checks.
Fact: No such scheme is listed on the official Social Security Administration (SSA) website. The website in the post acts as a referral source to match customers with insurance companies. SSA warned users not to click on malicious links and give away personal information to prevent identity theft. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
No such scheme is mentioned on the official website of the Social Security Administration. In some cases, a citizen may be eligible for increased benefits, but one needs to apply for these benefits on the official website and not through third-party sites. The website given in the post describes itself as a non-Governmental referral source that provides information and access to helplines to match consumers with companies that may provide certain insurance coverage to them. This site also asks for the personal information of the users like Medicare eligibility & age.
Moreover, the Social Security Administration warns users not to click on malicious links and give personal information as it may lead to identity & monetary theft.
Published (13 December 2022):
A video is being shared on social media claiming that the American Government has released a sum of $540/month under ‘Health Give Back Program’ for people with an annual income of less than $50,000. Similarly, another post claims that people aged 40-80 years with no life insurance are getting $150k in lumpsum payment. These posts ask the users to click the link provided in the description to apply. Let’s verify the claims made in these posts.
Post 1:
Claim: American Government has released a sum of $540/month under ‘Health Give Back Program’ for people with an annual income of less than $50,000.
Fact: No such scheme is launched by the US Government. Federal Trade Commission warns users not to enter personal details in unauthorised websites as it may lead to identity theft. All the government websites and emails end with ‘.gov’ and not with ‘.com’ or ‘.org’. Though the US government helps certain sections of low-income uninsured citizens through state subsidised health insurance or Medicaid, money is directly paid to the health care providers and not to the individuals. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched irs.gov, usa.gov and prominent news websites but couldn’t find any information regarding this scheme. Moreover, the link given in the description redirects to an unauthorised website which asks for the personal details of the person. Further, the disclaimer on the website says, “THIS IS AN ADVERTORIAL AND NOT AN ACTUAL NEWS ARTICLE, BLOG, OR CONSUMER PROTECTION UPDATE”
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Healthcare.gov warned users on multiple occasions not to share personal information with these unauthorised websites as it may lead to identity theft. All the government websites and emails of the US government end with ‘.gov’ and not with ‘.com’ or ‘.org’. Even though US government helps certain sections of low income uninsured citizens through state subsidised health insurance or Medicaid, money is directly paid to the health care providers and not to the individuals.
Post 2:
Claim: Americans aged 40-80 years with no life insurance are getting $150k in lumpsum payment.
Fact: No such scheme is launched by the US Government. Federal Trade Commission warns users not to enter personal details in unauthorised websites as it may lead to identity theft. All the government websites and emails end with ‘.gov’ and not with ‘.com’ or ‘.org’. Though the U.S government helps certain sections of low-income uninsured citizens through state subsidised health insurance or Medicaid, money is directly paid to the health care providers and not to the individuals. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched the irs.gov, usa.gov and prominent news websites but couldn’t find any information regarding this scheme. Moreover, the link provided in the posts redirects to an unauthorised website which asks for personal details. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Healthcare.gov warned users on multiple occasions not to give the personal information to these unauthorised websites as it may lead to identity theft. All the government websites and emails of the US government end with ‘.gov’ and not with ‘.com’ or ‘.org’.
Even though U.S government helps certain sections of low-income uninsured citizens through state subsidised health insurance or Medicaid, money is directly paid to the health care providers and not to the individuals.
To sum it up, fraudulent websites are asking for personal details of users in the name of FAKE Health Schemes.

created: October 10, 2023


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Fraudulent websites in the name of ‘SBI’ and ‘Amul’ claim to gift money on their anniversary - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 11, 2021
These purported online websites (here and here) of State Bank of India (SBI) and Amul are conducting online contests claiming to offer 50,000 rupees and 6,000 rupees each, on their 200 and 75 anniversary respectively. FACTLY received a query on its WhatsApp tip-line number (+91 9247052470) to check the authenticity of the websites.
Claim: SBI and Amul are conducting contests to gift 50,000 rupees and 6,000 rupees each, on their 200 and 75 anniversary respectively.
Fact: These websites conducting an online contest in the name of ‘SBI’ and ‘Amul’ are fraudulent. According to the official website of SBI, it is not offering any gift of 50,000 rupees by conducting an online contest. ‘Amul’ through a social media post clarified that the contest to gift 6,000 rupees is a fake message. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
SBI Contest (archived):
When we searched to check whether ‘SBI’ has conducted any such contest to gift 50,000 rupees, we could not find details of any such contest on the official website of ‘SBI’. According to the official website of SBI, the State Bank of India (SBI) a Fortune 500 company, is an Indian Multinational, Public Sector Banking and Financial services statutory body headquartered in Mumbai. It can be observed that the official ‘SBI’ website is completely different from the website that is conducting this survey for gifting 50,000 rupees. If SBI had conducted such an online contest for gifting 50,000 rupees, several news websites would have published articles reporting the questionnaire. But we could not find any such article on the internet.
When we searched for the details of the online website that is conducting an online contest for gifting 50,000 rupees, we found the details of that website on the ‘Whois.com’ database. This online website with the domain name ‘v0s.com’ was registered in November 2003, in China. This website has nothing to do with ‘SBI’. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the purported website conducting this questionnaire in the name of ‘SBI’ is a fraudulent one.
Amul Contest (archived):
When we searched to check whether ‘Amul’ has conducted any such contest to gift 6,000 rupees, we could not find details of any such contest on the official website of ‘Amul’. We found posts (here, here, and here) by Amul on its various social media handles saying that the claim of a questionnaire to gift 6,000 rupees is a ‘fake message’. ‘Request you to kindly do not click on this (website) link. We also wish to inform you that Amul is not organising this campaign’.
Issued in Public Interest by Amul pic.twitter.com/lufqAndqOU
When we searched for the details of the online website that is conducting an online contest for gifting 6,000 rupees, we found the details of that website on the Whois.com website. This online website with the domain name ‘preferabletask.xyz’ was registered in May 2021. This website has nothing to do with ‘Amul’. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the purported website conducting this survey in the name of ‘Amul’ is a fraudulent one.
Another website (archived) has the same claim about Amul conducting a contest for 6,000 rupees, which is also fraudulent.
FACTLY had earlier debunked similar claims about contests offering gifts from TATA, SBI, and HAP. These articles can be read here, here, and here.
To sum it up, these purported websites of ‘SBI’ and ‘Amul’ conducting contests for gifting 50,000 and 6,000 rupees respectively, are fraudulent.

created: October 11, 2021