Hyderabad: Investigation underway in massive data breach case

Seven persons were arrested even as more persons are likely to be rounded up for allegedly obtaining personal and sensitive database of nearly 16.8 crore citizens including defence personnel, students and others, fraudulently

Hyderabad: A special team headed by Deputy Commissioner (Crimes), Kalmeshwar Shingenavar began its investigation into the one of the biggest data breach unearth by the Cyberabad police.

Seven persons were arrested even as more persons are likely to be rounded up for allegedly obtaining personal and sensitive database of nearly 16.8 crore citizens including defence personnel, students and others, fraudulently.

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The team will carry out a 360 degree investigation into the data theft case reported to have national security ramifications. Already, following the unearthing of the scam, the central agencies and also the Delhi police have enquired about the fraud with the Cyberabad police.

The police are in process of asking different companies including Google not to disturb the platforms wherein the data base obtained by the three companies run by the seven suspects in the case is stored.

The Cyberabad police are also seeking help of cyber experts to ascertain the technical aspects of the scam while teams on the ground are on the job to nab a few more suspects involved in the fraud.

The police had raided multiple call centers operated by the suspects and seized laptops and other electronic gadgets. Efforts are also on to pick up the money trail and identify the source of amount obtained for acquiring the data or money transferred after selling the data.

“We have sought custody of all the suspects who were arrested in the case. Further investigation will be done after we question them and know more about their modus operandi,” said an official of Cyberabad police.

The police suspect that a few insiders working with different agencies might have provided bulk data to the three companies Data Mart Infotech, Global Data Arts and MS Digital Grow.