HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police arrested a person involved in committing major data theft, procuring and selling personal and confidential data of 66.9 crore persons drawn from various categories spread over 24 states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The accused Vinay Bhardwaj was found possessing data of students of nationwide coaching centres, 1.84 lakh cab users from eight metros and of 4.5 lakh salaried employees from six cities.
During interrogation, Bhardwaj revealed that he had consumer and customer data of major organisations, including apps and OTT platforms.
The accused was trying to sell personal and confidential data of the 66.9 crore individuals and organisations maintained in 104 categories under various categories like PAN, Aadhaar, utility bills, policies, credit and debit cards and EMI details, among others, said Kalmeshwar Singenavar, DCP, Cyberabad cybercrimes.
He said that the accused had managed to sell data worth less than Rs 1 lakh.
“Our special teams are coordinating with other state IT cells to track down the main hacker. Bhardwaj is part of a chain of hardcore criminals and very soon the main hacker will be behind bars,” Singenavar, said
The accused was operating through a Faridabad-based website ‘Inspire Webz’ and selling databases through cloud drive links and collecting databases from Amer Sohail and Madan Gopal who are absconding, Singenavar said.
Police seized two mobile phones and two laptops and booked him under various sections of IT Act. They have intensified search to arrest Sohail and Madan Gopal. They have filed a petition in the court for Bhardwaj's police custody for further investigation.
