Urvashi Kaul on Indian BPO websites Blocking

Complaint filed against Sun’s online edition
- By Urvashi Kaul



New Delhi: A complaint has been filed under the Information Technology Act with adjudicating officer Prakash Kumar, in which RBI stands as one of the respondents, asking the government to block the Sun’s online website for attempting to cause damage to India’s economy by "defaming the legitimate Indian BPOs".

The complaint is a part of the ongoing matter pending with the government relating to the hacking of 8 million credit card accounts (including 12 lakh Indian accounts), involving a British Bank in August 2000.

While the CD, which the Sun reporter claims to possess, is crucial for forensic examination, the complainant in capacity of a qualified computer engineer wants it to be examined whether the CD was a re-writeable CD, and also if it has been "finalised" at the time of burning, an information necessary to determine maintainability of this issue under the IT Act 2000.

The complainant in his complaint, a copy of which lies with this newspaper, alleges that the sensitive data that Mr Oliver Harvey, the Sun reporter, projects as having originated from Delhi, India (as hacked data from the Indian BPOs), may have been sold data provided by the British Banks that freely circulate in India.

Informed sources claim that the CDs containing hacked confidential data like credit card particulars and mobile phone billings data’s and addresses are freely sold all over Delhi in places like Palika Baazar, Nehru Place, and Janakpuri District Centre without fear of the law. The complainant alleges that it is quite possible that the CD was sold containing data freely available in Delhi, which are being used by direct sales agents of banks, telecom companies and credit bureaus of banks.

While there are no immigration records of Mr Oliver’s visit to India on a journalistic visa, official sources said that if he intended to do his business of reporting on a tourist visa, which doesn’t go with his tourist status, then the reporters act needs to be dealt with harshly under the Foreigners Act. The complainant also alleges that the visit might have been undertaken with an aim to "defame" India as there are no laws in India concerning data protection and privacy for foreigners in India. Repeated attempts by the complainant to get a response in the matter by Mr Oliver Harvey, via email, failed.

For all you know Karan Bahree, the eye of the "BPO scandal" storm, cannot be booked under the IT Act, as Indian laws are applicable for data protection and privacy of data for Indian citizens only and that he may not have broken any laws including the Indian Penal Code.

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