Update on data theft of AP government beneficiaries

As the Cyberabad police started digging into the data theft of AP government beneficiaries, it has come to light that three hard drives containing crucial information was carted away by CEO of the IT Grids (India) Pvt. Ltd. Ashok Dakavaram.

Police are also trying to find if Mr. Ashok, suspected to be taking shelter in AP capital region, has transferred the sensitive data of 3.7 crore voters of Andhra from the office servers to the three storage drives to conceal the entire fraud and dodge police. “Everything will be clear only after he is caught,” said an official.

While moving out of his office last week, Ashok was carrying some important files and computer hard drives with him, IT Grids employees reportedly told the police. “He was alerted about the police case being registered against his firm,” said a senior police officer associated with the investigation.

After conducting searches for two days at the firm’s premises, police seized several electronic devices, hard drives and other incriminating material, which proved that the firm has illegal access to sensitive data of AP citizens. “We need to verify the source who shared the information and also the terms of the agreement between the firm and TDP,” the officer said.

Police alleged that Ashok ‘was hiding somewhere between Vijayawada and Guntur with the help of local authorities’. IT Grids firm developed the ‘Seva Mitra’ mobile application that is used by the party cadre. Police said that the firm ‘illegally’ got access to the personal information and sensitive data of AP citizens, which was later synchronised with the app to identify non-TDP sympathisers.

“After identifying YSRCP, Jana Sena or other party supporters, they are sending the digital format of Form 7 for deletion of name from the voters’ list to the EC,” the officer claimed. On Tuesday Krishna Heights in Ayyappa Society, which houses IT Grids office, has turned a fortress after Cyberabad police deployed security at the premises.

“As AP police reached the houses of complainants and witnesses in the case, there is every possibility that they can barge into Ashok’s office and take away the electronic devices, so we deployed extra force outside his office,” the investigator said.