IT firm booked for ''stealing'' voter data to benefit TDP

Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, March 3

The Telangana Police on Sunday registered a case against a city-based Information technology company on charges of allegedly stealing voter data through a mobile application “Seva Mitra” that was used by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh.

Strongly reacting to the development, Andhra Pradesh Information Technology Minister N Lokesh, who is also the son of Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said the Telangana Police were “harassing” the companies that were hired to curate the information whose complete rights were held by the party.

In a series of tweets, N Lokesh said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) should not forget Newton’s third law that says every action has equal and opposite reaction. He said a false complaint has been lodged under various sections of the IPC and the IT Act on the frivolous and fake complaint of a TRS worker.

The complainant told the police that he found on the official Facebook page of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that party cadre were using certain mobile phone and tab-based software applications, especially ‘Seva Mitra’ app, for “advancing party’s electoral prospects”. 

He alleged that the firm was given access to enormous amount of official data with respect to the beneficiaries of various government schemes and also private data of individuals, including their Aadhaar number.

“Following registration of a case, police conducted searches on Saturday. The searches are going on today also,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (Madhapur Division) N Shyam Prasad Rao told the media.

Lokesh in a tweet said, “They are trying hard to steal the information of registered party members and Seva Mitras. The Telangana Police is harassing the companies that have been hired to curate the information whose complete rights are held by the (TDP) party.”