Ex-employee steals sensitive data, blackmails firm

Rubberwala Housing and Infrastructure Ltd, a city-based construction company, has lodged a police complaint against a former employee, alleging that he has stolen important data from the company and is demanding ₹48

Rubberwala Housing and Infrastructure Ltd, a city-based construction company, has lodged a police complaint against a former employee, alleging that he has stolen important data from the company and is demanding ₹48.52 lakh by threatening to hand over the “sensitive company information” to income tax, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Goods and Services Tax (GST) and civic authorities.

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The accused, Ankit Goyal, in his messages to company officials claimed he was demanding the money as compensation for alleged mental harassment that he underwent while in the company’s employment. Goyal was booked by Agripada police on Tuesday after the company’s human resource and admin executive Amit Ranganekar, 39, lodged a complaint.

As per the complaint, Goyal was hired by the company in July 2019 as an account executive, but he resigned and left the company in October 2020 without completing exit formalities.

According to the first information report (FIR), the complainant received messages from Goyal in April this year saying that he had sensitive data of the firm with him and if the company fails to clear his full-and-final settlement and issue him a relieving letter, he would share the same with probing agencies. He allegedly also claimed he would use the data to prove money laundering and tax evasion to the tune of ₹20 crore.

However, after the full and final settlement was settled and the relieving letter was issued, the accused kept on threatening the firm saying he wanted the company to pay him compensation in two bitcoins (worth ₹48.52 lakh) for alleged mental harassment.

“Based on the complaint from the company, we have registered a case under sections 381 (theft by an employee), 385 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66B (dishonestly receiving stolen information or device) of the Information Technology Act and will soon detect the case,” said senior inspector Shriram Koregaonkar.

“The accused levelled false and baseless allegations against us, hence we decided to take the path of justice. Police is investigating the case and we are hopeful that truth will triumph,” said a spokesperson for the firm.