Vikram Buddhi
Encyclopedia
Vikram S. Buddhi was an India
n Ph.D student
and teaching assistant
at Purdue University
who was imprisoned by United States
authorities in 2006 for writing anti-Bush content, which involved direct death threats via his yahoo account, and publishing them online. He was released from prison in May 2011. However, he was re-arrested immediately by the Department of Immigration for not possessing a valid visa, and had so far not been deported to India.
scientist
with the Indian navy
who had been tried for leaking
naval secrets
in 1988. However he was acquitted in 1993.
of threatening the life of a US President in 2007. Earlier on Friday, February 3, 2006, Buddhi was questioned by the Secret Service who made a formal report saying that Buddhi was not a threat to the US President or any Secret Service
protected person.
to retaliate
against Iraq war
and kill then president George W. Bush
, vice-president Dick Cheney
and their spouses
. Buddhi's lawyer Somnath Bharti has alleged that the indictment
did not mention any of the alleged charges and the prosecution failed to establish Buddhi as the author of the messages although they originated from a Purdue University IP
address. Buddhi had hacked the Yahoo ID's of thousands of Purdue University Students, then used those hacked stolen ID's to spread anti-Bush, Anti-War messages across Yahoo's Discussion Boards, using an automated software program known as a "Bot".
, who have joined with his father and lobbied for his release with External Affairs Minister, SM Krishna and former US President Bill Clinton
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Ph.D student
International student
According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
and teaching assistant
Teaching assistant
A teaching assistant is an individual who assists a professor or teacher with instructional responsibilities. TAs include graduate teaching assistants , who are graduate students; undergraduate teaching assistants , who are undergraduate students; secondary school TAs, who are either high school...
at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
who was imprisoned by United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
authorities in 2006 for writing anti-Bush content, which involved direct death threats via his yahoo account, and publishing them online. He was released from prison in May 2011. However, he was re-arrested immediately by the Department of Immigration for not possessing a valid visa, and had so far not been deported to India.
Biography
Buddhi was born to Syamala Buddhi and Captain Buddhi K Subbarao. His father was a senior defenseDefense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
with the Indian navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
who had been tried for leaking
News leak
A news leak is a disclosure of embargoed information in advance of its official release, or the unsanctioned release of confidential information.-Types of news leaks:...
naval secrets
Secrets
Secrets may refer to:*Secrecy, the quality or condition of being secret or hidden- Literature :*Secrets , a 1985 novel by Danielle Steel*Secrets , a 2002 novel by Jacqueline Wilson...
in 1988. However he was acquitted in 1993.
Arrest
Buddhi was arrested on April 14, 2006 and found guiltyGuilty
Guilty commonly refers to the feeling of guilt, an experience that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard.Guilty or The Guilty may also refer to:-Law:*Guilty plea, a formal admission of legal culpability...
of threatening the life of a US President in 2007. Earlier on Friday, February 3, 2006, Buddhi was questioned by the Secret Service who made a formal report saying that Buddhi was not a threat to the US President or any Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
protected person.
Trial
The prosecution has alleged that Buddhi posted messages on a Yahoo business discussion forum which appeared in December 2005 and January 2006 calling upon the people of IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to retaliate
Retaliate
Retaliate is the debut album of Maryland death metal band Misery Index.Track 5 was previously recorded and released on a split with Structure of Lies.-Track listing:# "Retaliate" – 3:28# "The Lies That Bind" – 2:46# "The Great Depression" – 2:40...
against Iraq war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and kill then president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, vice-president Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
and their spouses
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
. Buddhi's lawyer Somnath Bharti has alleged that the indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
did not mention any of the alleged charges and the prosecution failed to establish Buddhi as the author of the messages although they originated from a Purdue University IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
address. Buddhi had hacked the Yahoo ID's of thousands of Purdue University Students, then used those hacked stolen ID's to spread anti-Bush, Anti-War messages across Yahoo's Discussion Boards, using an automated software program known as a "Bot".
Reaction
Buddhi has received considerable support from the alumni and staff of the IITsIndian Institutes of Technology
The Indian Institutes of Technology are a group of autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institutes of higher education. The IITs are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 which has declared them as “institutions of national importance”, and lays down their powers, duties,...
, who have joined with his father and lobbied for his release with External Affairs Minister, SM Krishna and former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.