VSNL ESPIONAGE CASE

[RAVI BHASIN]

 

VSNL ESPIONAGE CASE

 

February 08, 2007

 

The Mumbai police today questioned two key executives of Reliance Communications (RCom) regarding the corporate espionage case which led to the arrest of a VSNL employee on charges that he was leaking out crucial information to a competitor. The information included minutes of VSNL board meetings in November and December 2006.

 

Police sources said the mobile phone records of Indulkar revealed that he had been in constant touch with Wahi, as also by email. The police are waiting for the forensic report on Indulkar's computer hard disk, which could provide more leads in the case.

 

A top police official said, "We are speaking to legal experts to find out how we can book the recipient of the information."

 

Indulkar was arrested on February 1 by the Dadar police after VSNL filed a complaint against him for siphoning off funds from the company. But the police suspect that it was Indulkar who leaked board meeting details to Reliance ADA officials.

 

Though the police are trying to charge the Reliance ADA executives under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Property Act, it may be difficult as data theft is not mentioned in either Act.

 

VSNL insiders said a manhunt was launched within the company after it discovered that information relating to many of its key decisions were released to a section of the media in November/December 2006 without the management's consent.

 

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