A political row broke out over alleged data theft of Andhra Pradesh voters by an IT firm in Hyderabad with the ruling TDP Monday alleging a cyber conspiracy and seeking transfer of the case registered by the Telangana police to the neighbouring state.
As Telangana police citing preliminary probe claimed the IT company got 'illegal' access to details of voters, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged it was part of a conspiracy to help opposition YSR Congress headed by Jaganmohan Reddy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and KCR (Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao were helping Jaganmohan Reddy in executing this 'cyber conspiracy', he alleged in his teleconference with TDP party leaders.
"It is atrocious to steal our data and give it to our rivals," he said.
Naidu alleged "The Bihari gang led by (political strategist and JDU leader) Prashant Kishore is giving such evil advise to the YSRC."
Separately, TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and general secretary Varla Ramaia demanded the case registered by Cyberabad police be transferred to AP as per the CrPC since the alleged theft happened in the state.
The YSRC, however, questioned how confidential data related to the state government went into private hands.
"Why is Chandrababu so scared of the investigation? The data theft is part of a plan to remove names of those against the government from the electors list," YSRC leader and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Buggana Rajendranath Reddy alleged.
The case against the firm was registered on Saturday on a complaint from a data analyst alleging that TDP cadre were using certain mobile phone and tab-based applications especially "Seva Mitra" app for "advancing their party's electoral prospects.
It drew protests from Andhra Pradesh ministers and TDP legislators Sunday with IT Minister N Lokesh in a tweet alleging that Telangana police was harassing the IT firms that have been hired to curate information whose complete rights were held by the TDP.
Hitting back, TRS working president K T Rama Rao Monday asked why the TDP was afraid of a probe if it had not done anything wrong.
Naidu should be "ashamed of" his party's criticism of the Telangana government, Rao said and dared him to face the probe."If you have not done the theft, Chandrababu Naidu ji... why should you fear?" he asked.
"It is the TDP which committed the wrong. The (AP) government which is supposed to keep personal data a secret, gives that data to a party, how should it be seen," he told reporters in Hyderabad.
"What was done was wrong. As if, 'ulta chor kotwal ko dante' (the pot calling the kettle black), they (TDP) are slamming the Telangana government. Chandrababu Naidu and his government should have shame," he said.
Rama Rao, son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also alleged the TDP tried to defame the TRS government on social media through "a paid campaign."
Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar told reporters in Hyderabad that police have issued a notice to the Amazon Web Services, with which the database was said to have been stored, seeking the data.
"Prima-facie, the investigation has revealed" that the company got access of personal information and sensitive data of individuals related to Aadhaar, electoral roll, government schemes and voters information of various political parties "which can be misused for illegal purposes like alleged deletion of voters," he said.
The police will also write to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which runs Aadhar, the Election Commission, the Registrar of Companies and the the Andhra Pradesh government seeking related details, he said.
In a related development, one more case was registered against owner of the firm and others by Hyderabad Police and investigations were on, police said.
When asked if Lokesh will be questioned, the Commissioner said police will not spare anybody who was responsible for the alleged theft of data.
Police carried out searches at the company's office on Saturday and Sunday by securing the presence of four employees, he said adding electronic gadgets, including central processing units (CPUs) and hard discs were seized.
The "incriminating materials" seized were being sent for Forensic analysis for and arrests would be made as per law, he added.
Through the 'Seva Mitra' app, data had been collected constituency-wise and about voters' affiliation to political parties, the Commissioner said.
In a related development, the Telangana High Court closed a habeas corpus petition filed by the IT form owner alleging that the four employees were under illegal detention after they were produced by the police in the court Monday.
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