Indian BPO data theft probe underway

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Interestingly, Chandak and Ghufran have denied selling information unlawfully. Chandak reportedly said the information he provided was not genuine while Ghufran said he was passed the data.

Television channel Star News had also telecast footage related to the same case.

"We take any alleged breach of security with extreme seriousness. The fact that there was no suggestion of customers suffering financial loss in Dispatches' report (shown on Channel4) does not diminish the priority we give to all security issues," NASSCOM vice president, Sunil Mehta said.

Mehta said the programme made it clear that data security was an international issue that was not unique to any one country.

"But in India we are seeking to lead the way to even more stringent standards," he said in a statement.

Though NASSCOM had approached Channel 4 to cooperate with them on the issue and provide details of the alleged wrongdoers so that they could be prosecuted, the British television channel has so far refused to provide any information, saying, "As a responsible broadcaster, our role is to bring our findings to the public. It is not the role of broadcasters or journalists to act as agents of the police or any other authority."

"We have no further update from them (Channel 4) on their intent to share the details of persons shown in the programme who have sold the data to Channel 4. We will pursue it further to ensure that criminals, if any, are rightly taken to the authorities concerned," NASSCOM president, Kiran Karnik, said in a statement.

"We have taken up this investigation (sting operation by the TV channel) with the Indian police authorities in Kolkata and filed a complaint on behalf of the Indian it industry," he added.

"There was no suggestion of customers suffering financial loss in Dispatches report, but that does not diminish the priority we give to the security issues," Karnik said. "The Criminal Investigation Department of the West Bengal police has registered a FIR based on the complaint. Investigations are well underway but the main accused (Sushant Chandak) and his family are absconding."

"It is vital that Dispatches cooperates immediately so the perpetrators of any breach can be brought to justice and that lessons can be learnt," said the NASSCOM president. "We will reach out to the Indian police authorities to investigate the claims made in the programme. The media can help by ensuring that there is no further delay in bringing evidence of their claims to the Indian police."

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