Karan Bahree loses BPO job

Bahree loses job, dad says it’s a conspiracy
Pragya Singh

New Delhi, June 25: Nearly three days after a UK tabloid revealed that Karan Bahree, 24, had exchanged cash for confidential BPO data, his folks insist he is the victim of a conspiracy.

Karan’s father, S K Bahree, answers the doorbell. ‘‘We’re very concerned. I’m worried about my son. Is there news of what is happening outside (in London)?’’ he asks through a crack in the door.

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‘‘My son is an unlucky victim of some conspiracy. He is innocent, the poor thing,’’ says Bahree Sr.

Bahree is anxious for details about the ‘‘case’’ against Karan. ‘‘Please courier me all the papers you have on what London is saying,’’ he says. However, he does reveal his residence telephone number.

But the Bahrees, along with the BPO industry, the government, Gurgaon police and Karan’s employers Infinity e-Search, seem to forget that Karan is free. Others in his position were not so lucky.

Remember Bazee.com? As per cyber laws police have the right to ring the same doorbell, seize all computer systems and haul them back to the police station for scrutiny as evidence. It can even arrest Karan, though no complaint has been filed against him.

‘‘The provision is draconian, as we saw in the Bazee case. But it’s 65 hours — the world wants to know what India is doing about this case? Will any action be taken under the IT Act or not, after all, hasn’t Bahree triggered something that will affect the interests of the BPO industry?’’ asks advocate Pawan Duggal.

London police have said they can’t get cracking because the matter is out of their jurisdiction. But it has requested Interpol to seek help from Indian authorities and perhaps make an arrest or two.

CBI sources said they had been alerted about the request through Interpol channels. The agency is gearing up to investigate the case once a formal request is made.

Meanwhile Karan, who is ‘‘away,’’ lost his job today.

‘‘We have terminated his services. Since he was on probation there was no need for a notice period. We have done this in the interests of the company,’’ said Infinity eSearch’s lawyer Deepak Masih.

Section 66 of the IT Act, which covers hacking in its widest definition, can fetch Bahree, if he is found guilty, three years in prison plus a Rs 2 lakh fine. It also makes him liable to civil suits for damages up to Rs 1 crore for every count he is found guilt of.

‘‘Around six sections of the Indian Penal Code also appear to apply to his case,’’ said Duggal.