NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — U.S. journalist Raphael Satter has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government after his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status was revoked, complicating his ability to visit the country where his family resides. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs canceled Satter’s OCI in December 2023, accusing him of publishing work that “maliciously” damaged India’s reputation. Satter, a cybersecurity reporter for Reuters, denies any wrongdoing and argues the revocation is an attempt to silence critical journalism.
The decision came shortly after Satter published an investigative piece titled “How an Indian Startup Hacked the World”, which alleged that the Indian cybersecurity company Appin, co-founded by Rajat Khare, had become a “hack-for-hire powerhouse” targeting global executives, politicians, and military officials. The same day Satter received his OCI cancellation notice, an Indian court issued an injunction temporarily taking down his article. His lawyer, Karuna Nundy, described the timing as “clearly linked.”
Khare’s legal representatives, Clare Locke, have denied any association between their client and illegal cyber activities, stating that Khare “has never operated or supported, and certainly did not create, any illegal ‘hack-for-hire’ industry in India or anywhere else.” Nonetheless, he has actively pursued legal action against multiple news organizations, including The New Yorker and The Sunday Times, for reporting on Appin’s activities. According to Reporters Without Borders, at least 15 media outlets investigating Appin have received legal notices, and five have faced legal proceedings.
Satter maintains that he has never practiced journalism in India, traveling only to visit family. However, his court petition states that both he and Reuters received threats linked to Appin, with one warning of potential “diplomatic action” unless he ceased his reporting. Despite filing an appeal with the Indian government, he received no response for over a year, leading him to take legal action.
Human Rights Watch and other organizations have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using OCI revocations as a tool to suppress dissent. In the past decade, more than 100 OCI cards have been canceled, including that of journalist Aatish Taseer, whose status was revoked after he criticized Modi in a Time magazine cover story.
“The Indian authorities should not be attempting to silence critics by revoking residency rights,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division. “Instead, they should have the maturity to accept legitimate criticism and work on reforms.”
Satter, who considers India a country of “great affection and respect,” remains hopeful that the legal process will restore his status. “I am confident that, once the integrity of my journalism is demonstrated before the Indian courts and the true and correct facts are brought to the fore, the Ministry of Home Affairs will see fit to restore my OCI card,” he said in a statement to The Guardian.
The Indian government has until May 22 to justify its decision before the Delhi High Court. The Ministry of Home Affairs has not responded to requests for comment.
