Bengaluru: A source code worth €8 million (approximately Rs 869,447,276.69) was stolen from a leading tech firm in Bengaluru, Karnataka. When the company
find out about multiple frauds using the code, they zeroed in on an employee, who allegedly confessed to have stolen the code a year ago. His statement explained the unauthorised data transfer to his personal email account. The company, located in Prestige Tech Park in the Kadubeesanahalli area, immediately sacked the techie and filed an FIR (First Information Report) with the Whitefield CEN Crime Police, according to a media report. Ashutosh Nigam worked as a senior manager and research scientist at a technology company. He lives in Prestige Shantiniketan Apartments on IPTL Road in Bengaluru, but he comes from Saketh Nagar in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, reported The Times of India. Also Read: Ejipura Flyover in Bengaluru Back on Track: Here’s How Hospital Wall Problem Was Untangled
What Happened?
On 11 October last year, Nigam is alleged to have accessed the company’s computer systems illegally. He reportedly transferred the source code and other data to his personal email account without the company’s permission. The company said this caused significant losses and put its intellectual property at risk.The company discovered the breach through internal monitoring. After this, they confronted Nigam, and he reportedly admitted to the act. The authorities have charged him with data theft, unauthorised access, manipulation, and fraudulent use of the company’s computer systems and records. The company terminated his employment on 3 December.
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Nigam had worked with Amadeus since 1 February 2020, following its acquisition of assets from Innovative Scheduling LLC. The case has been registered under Sections 65, 66, and 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
What is Proprietary Source Code? How Can It be Misused?
Proprietary source code is the company’s confidential software code that only authorised employees can use. It includes core programs, algorithms, internal tools, and designs that give the company a competitive advantage.
If someone takes it without permission, they can misuse it in several ways: build competing products, sell it to rivals, exploit system weaknesses, or claim it as their own work. This can cause financial loss, reputational damage, and legal problems for the company. Sending it to a personal email, as in this case, bypasses security controls and increases the risk of further sharing, which is why such acts are treated as data theft and unauthorised access under the law.
