Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian opposition alleges 'government attempt' to hack lawmakers' phones

At least five opposition leaders claimed to have received messages from Apple

Indian opposition alleges 'government attempt' to hack lawmakers' phones

INDIAN opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (31) accused prime minister Narendra Modi's government of trying to hack into senior opposition politicians' mobile phones, after they reported receiving warning messages from Apple.

Some of the lawmakers shared screenshots on social media of a notification quoting the iPhone manufacturer as saying: "Apple believes you are being targeted by state-sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID".


"Hack us all you want," Gandhi told a news conference in New Delhi, in reference to Modi. "But we (opposition) will not stop questioning you."

At least five opposition leaders claimed to have received messages from Apple.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and his party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera and Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha shared the screenshots on X.

"Received text and email from Apple warning me that the government trying to hack into my phone and email. @HMOIndia -- get a life. Adani and PMO bullies - your fear makes me pity you," Moitra said sharing the screenshots.

Tagging Chaturvedi to the post, she claimed that three other leaders of the opposition INDIA alliance have received similar messages.

Chaturvedi also shared a similar screenshot which she claimed to have received from Apple and said, "Wonder who? Shame on you. Cc: @HMOIndia for your kind attention".

Replying to Moitra's post, she said, "So not just me but also @MahuaMoitra has received this warning from Apple. Will @HMOIndia investigate?"

Tharoor also shared a post about him receiving a similar message. "Received from an Apple ID, threat-notifications@apple.com, which I have verified. Authenticity confirmed. Glad to keep underemployed officials busy at the expenses of taxpayers like me! Nothing more important to do?" he said on X, tagging the Prime Minister's Office, the Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw expressed concern at the lawmakers' statements and said the government had asked Apple to join its investigation into the matter.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it is for Apple to clarify the alerts it has sent to several people, including opposition leaders, about "state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise" their iPhones. It also rejected the allegations against the government as "baseless and false".

Party leader and former minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that instead of levelling allegations against the government, these leaders should take up the matter with Apple and file FIRs.

He, however, cited his experience to claim that no telephone company does something like this and goes to CERT-In, an emergency response team, first to look into the matter.

Asked about the opposition leaders' charge, Prasad shot back, "It is for Apple to clarify. They should file an FIR if they have any problem. Who is stopping them?"

He recalled the controversy over the alleged use of Pegasus malware to hack into the phones of certain people, including opposition leaders, and said Rahul Gandhi had refused to deposit his iPhone before a committee appointed by the Supreme Court to look into the matter.

Meanwhile Apple said it did not attribute the threat notifications to "any specific state-sponsored attacker".

State-sponsored attacks were evolving over time. Detecting them "relies on threat intelligence signals that are often imperfect and incomplete," it said. "It's possible that some Apple threat notifications may be false alarms, or that some attacks are not detected,"

Jairam Ramesh, spokesperson for Congress party, called Apple's clarification a "long-winded non-denial" of a security breach.

In 2021, India was rocked by reports that the government had used Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to snoop on scores of journalists, activists and politicians, including Gandhi.

The government has declined to reply to questions whether India or any of its state agencies had purchased Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

(Agencies)

More For You

uk-railways-iStock

The package includes £415 million to upgrade the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, a route affected by delays and disruptions. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Government announces £1.7 bn transport investment for the North

THE GOVERNMENT has announced a £1.7 billion investment to improve transport infrastructure across the North, focusing on buses, roads, and rail.

The funding aims to upgrade key routes and improve connectivity across the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
Keir-Starmer-Getty

Keir Starmer’s communications chief has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Starmer’s communications chief Matthew Doyle resigns after nine months

KEIR STARMER’s communications chief, Matthew Doyle, has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. Doyle, a Labour veteran who previously worked for Tony Blair, joined Starmer’s team as communications director four years ago when the party was in opposition.

His departure follows that of Sue Gray, Starmer’s former chief of staff, who left in the autumn. Doyle’s exit is expected to lead to the promotions of James Lyons to director of communications (strategy) and Steph Driver to director of communications (delivery), according to the BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lakshmi-Mittal-Getty

Mittal, who built his steel business over five decades, moved to the UK in 1995. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Lakshmi Mittal may leave UK after non-dom tax abolition: report

STEEL tycoon Lakshmi Mittal is considering leaving the UK following the government’s decision to abolish the non-domiciled tax status. The move would make him one of the most prominent entrepreneurs to leave due to the tax reform.

Mittal, who has lived in the UK for three decades, has informed associates that his departure is likely due to Labour’s decision to end the non-dom regime, which allowed certain residents to avoid paying UK tax on foreign income.

Keep ReadingShow less
King Charles

The palace said in a statement that after receiving scheduled treatment in the morning, the king had 'temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital.' (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

King Charles cancels engagements after cancer treatment side effects

KING CHARLES has postponed his engagements for Thursday and Friday after experiencing side effects from his ongoing cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace announced.

The palace said in a statement that after receiving scheduled treatment in the morning, the king had "temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital."

Keep ReadingShow less
Salman Rushdie to release first major work since stabbing
Rushdie was stabbed about 15 times: in the head, neck, torso and left hand, blinding his right eye and damaging his liver and intestines. (Photo: Getty Images)

Salman Rushdie to release first major work since stabbing

BRITISH-AMERICAN novelist Salman Rushdie will publish his first major work of fiction since the brutal stabbing that blinded him in one eye, his publisher said on Thursday (27).

The Eleventh Hour, is a collection of short stories examining themes and places of interest to Rushdie who narrowly escaped death during the 2022 attack. It will be released on November 4, 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less