'Data theft, auction on dark web worrisome concern for all nations,' HC refuses to quash criminal case against aerospace engineer
The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash a criminal case registered against an aerospace engineer for allegedly stealing sensitive data on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme and secretly selling the data on dark web, as such a massive data theft and auction has been a worrisome concern to all the nations.
The court said that instances of theft of secret defence data and sale of stolen data on the dark web has become worrisome for nations.
"It is necessary to investigate the root of data thieving, and bring to book persons involved in acts of uploading sensitive data of defence of the nation on to the dark web, and deal with them with iron hands," Justice M Nagaprasanna said.
The bench also underscored the necessity to regulate the usage of dark web, saying it has become the need of the hour, as it provides anonymity, as the geo location is hidden.
The court passed the order while rejecting a petition filed by 27-year-old Siva Rama Krishna Chennuboina, who was arrested in March 2022, on the allegation of stealing confidential data of LCA Tejas programme belonging to the Aeronautic Development Agency (ALA). The ADA, in September 2021, had lodged a complaint about data theft and its leak in different domain.
In 2021, the Ministry of Defence noticed foul play and leak of the data related to the ADA, based on which complaint was lodged. As the investigation is at the last stage, the court asked the Criminal Investigation Department to finish probe within four months.
The bench noted, "Dark web is a sophisticated anonymous internet network used by both criminals and other individuals for manifold reasons, necessity to regulate the usage of dark web has become the need of the hour, as it provides anonymity, as the geo location is hidden. Such usage of dark web for defence secrets to be uploaded has devastating effect on national security. The occurrence of massive data theft and auction on the dark web has been a worrisome concern to all the nations, including ours."
The petitioner claimed to be a qualified degree holder in the discipline of Bachelor of Technology with specialisation in Aerospace Engineering from Manipal University. He was appointed as an intern in a project in the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. The project was Drag Reduction by heat transfer through convection and it was in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science. While so working as an intern, the petitioner claims to have undergone a thorough inplant training and project work at HAL, ARDC in its design complex.
The petitioner further worked as a Research Assistant at Manipal Academy of Higher Education and has produced certain experience certificates for all the works that he has performed.
After working as an intern, owing to a notification issued by the National Aero Space Laboratory notifying the post of Senior Technical Officer Grade-III and finding himself eligible, the petitioner applies and he was selected for conduct of an interview. The interview was slated to be held on March 23, 2022. Four days prior to the date of interview, the petitioner came to be apprehended on March 19, 2022 on a crime that had been registered long ago on September 17, 2021 for offences. On being taken into custody, the petitioner knocked at the doors of the Court, calling in question the very registration of crime against him.
