TDP files petition against YSR Congress over data theft

Ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh Wednesday filed a petition with police, seeking registration of a criminal case against leaders of opposition YSR Congress, some senior police officials of Telangana and 'certain other political leaders' for allegedly having conspired to steal vital data of the party. State TDP president K Kala Venkata Rao, in the petition filed at Guntur, alleged that "all the senior police officers, leaders of the YSRC and certain other political leaders whose identity would be revealed after investigation have conspired at Amaravati to take up the present activity of causing harm to the Telugu Desam Party".

He said this was a case of conspiracy hatched between YSRCP leaders and followers and some senior police officials of the Telangana government with the object of stealing the data of TDP, collected over two decades, ' This was intended to thereby cripple the party activities and also to intimidate the cadres with the ultimate aim of furthering the political prospects of YSRCP, Rao alleged. "To put it straight, it is nothing short of theft by police officers of vital data belonging to the Telugu Desam Party.

As apprehended, the stolen data has been handed over to the YSRCP activists as agreed in the conspiracy and the same is being put to use by the YSRC, he added. "All these facts clearly indicate that the persons concerned in this case are liable to be punished for offences under Sections 120B, 418, 420, 380, 409, 167, 177, 182 read with Section 511 of IPC," Rao, who is also the state Energy Minister, said.

Minister P P Rao, MP K Ravindra Kumar and other leaders were among the TDP delegation that met the Guntur (Rural) Superintendent of Police and filed the petition. The SP was not available to clarify whether a formal case has been registered or not.

The IT firm in Hyderabad has been accused of 'theft of data' of voters through "Seva Mitra" mobile app, used by the TDP in Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana government Wednesday set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged data theft case even as a Lookout Circular was issued against the company owner.

The Cyberabad police had on March 2 registered a case against the company and conducted searches at its office in Hyderabad, based on a complaint by a data analyst. The complainant had alleged that 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.

(With inputs from agencies.)