Statistics department employee held for defrauding excise and taxation department of Rs 71 lakh

The accused swindled this amount in 13 transactions from December 2019 to May 7, 2020 by hacking the website of the department

An employee of the state department of statistics was arrested here on Sunday for defrauding Rs 71 lakh from the state exchequer by hacking the website of Punjab excise and taxation department. According to the police, the accused defrauded this amount in 13 transactions from December 2019 to May 7, 2020.

According to the police, the accused defrauded this amount in 13 transactions from December 2019 to May 7, 2020. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The accused, who has been identified as Nanak Dev, 31, of Mansa district, is a computer diploma holder. Inspector Goldy Birdi, investigating officer from the cyber cell, said, “The accused was initially assigned clerical work, however, later, he was given the extra work of updating reimbursement bills of his co-workers online two years ago. He managed to hack the website of the department during this period.”

The inspector added there could be a loophole in the software related to failed transactions and the accused took benefit of that. When the department came to know about it, they lodged a complaint with the police.

A case under Sections 420 (cheating) of the IPC and the IT Act has been registered at the Division number 5 police station following a complaint by assistant commissioner of the department Veer Prakash Singh.