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This is an archive article published on September 15, 2020

Express Investigation Part-2: Under China’s watch — J&K to North-East, Rijiju to Mufti, many CMs in between

Significantly, the database includes as many as 30 prominent leaders and bureaucrats from the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, the arena of the current India-China standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Under China's watch — J&K to North-East, Rijiju to Mufti, many CMs in betweenThis assumes significance given that Zhenhua Data claims to be working with the intelligence, government, military and security agencies.

The geography of those being monitored in India by the Chinese firm Zhenhua Data is telling.

The Indian Express investigation of Zhenhua’s (OKIDB) Overseas Key Information DataBase reveals that at least 180 politicians and bureaucrats on the target list are from states in the North-East including Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland; Sikkim; and the newly created Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir; and Ladakh.

This assumes significance given that Zhenhua Data claims to be working with the intelligence, government, military and security agencies.

Significantly, the database includes as many as 30 prominent leaders and bureaucrats from the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, the arena of the current India-China standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

China was in a face-off with India at Doklam in Sikkim in 2017; Beijing had knocked at the UN Security Council seeking a meeting to discuss India’s abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir last August, and earlier in March had stalled a UNSC proposal to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist.

READ | Express Investigation Part-2: New economy under Chinese watch — Tech start-ups, range of apps from payment to healthcare

Beijing’s watch on the North-East has many reasons. For over a decade, China’s dam-building spree and water diversion plans along the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo) on its side also remain a source of tension between the two neighbours.

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Those in the Zhenhua list include at least 12 current or former Chief Ministers and their relatives; 10 serving ministers holding infrastructure portfolios such as Power, Water resources, Irrigation, River Development and Public works, and several key bureaucrats from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal.

From Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports to Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of J&K when it was a state – she is currently in detention — those being monitored include Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his deputy Yanthungo Patton.

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Not only do these states and UTs share international borders with five countries including China, they are key to the Centre’s Act East Policy being a critical physical bridge between India and South-East Asia.

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Politically, the ruling BJP has expanded its footprint in the region with its own Chief Ministers in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura, since it assumed power at the Centre in 2014.

Among those being monitored are former members of Parliament from Ladakh, leaders of PDP and National Conference in the Valley; state Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir; former Union Minister Saifuddin Soz; Karan Singh, son of Hari Singh, the last king of the princely state of J&K.

EDITORIAL | Strategic targeting by Chinese firm raises questions that need to be understood — before being addressed

In OKIDB, former Chief Ministers from the North-East include two from Assam, three from Arunachal Pradesh, two from Meghalaya, one each from Manipur, Sikkim and Mizoram.

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The list mentions bureaucrats including Umang Narula, now advisor to Lieutenant Governor in Ladakh, and Japu Deru, former MLA from Bomdila and former advisor to Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff  leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

 

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