Data theft case: Hyd'bad police issue notice to Google Play

A day after seeking information from Amazon Web Services, city Police probing the alleged data theft case involving an IT firm here Tuesday said a notice had been issued to Google Play as it was also said to have stored the database in its servers.

Police also said four teams had been formed to secure owner of the firm IT Grids India Pvt Ltd D Ashok as he 'failed' to appear for investigation despite summons and was suspected to have fled to Andhra Pradesh.

"Database is said to be have been stored with the Amazon Web Services and Google Play. We have sent notices to them for production of the database relating to the app," Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar told PTI.

The Commissioner further said they are also in the process of writing AP governemnt, UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) and Election Commission and Registrar of Companies for more details in this regard.

He had Monday said a notice had been issued to Amazon Web Services seeking information.

The Cyberabad police had on Saturday registered a case against the company and conducted searches at its office here based on a complaint by a data analyst.

He had alleged the company misused personal information and sensitive data of voters in Andhra Pradesh through 'Seva Mitra' mobile app used by the ruling Telugu Desam Party.

Sajjanar had Monday said preliminary investigation showed the company got illegal access of various personal and sensitive data of individuals such as Aadhaar, electoral roll, government schemes and voters information related to various political parties which can be misused for illegal purposes. Searches were held at the IT firms office on March 2 and March 3 and electronic gadgets including central processing units, hard discs and mobile phones, and written documents seized.

Through 'Seva Mitra' app, data on constituency-wise voters and their affiliation to political parties had been collected, police had said adding the company also had information on details of voter ID and caste details.

The company also got access to the beneficiaries data of the government schemes in Andhra Pradesh and the information was being used to make a profile of voters for various political purposes, they had said.

The case has triggered a political row with the TDP alleging a cyber conspiracy and seeking its transfer to Andhra Pradesh.

TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged it was part of a conspiracy to help opposition YSR Congress headed by Jaganmohan Reddy.