Paes-Pillai legal battle: Computer expert tells Mumbai court Pillai’s computer was hacked

The Bandra metropolitan magistrate court recorded the statement of a computer maintenance firm owner who testified that someone may have hacked into Rhea Pillai’s computer and installed malicious software on it.

In the ongoing proceedings of the domestic violence case registered by model Rhea Pillai against her estranged husband and tennis star Leander Paes, the Bandra metropolitan magistrate court recorded the statement of a computer maintenance firm owner who testified that someone may have hacked into her computer and installed malicious software on it.

Advocate Amna Usman, interrogated the witness, who said that someone may have installed malicious software on Pillai’s computer and for security reasons, he advised changing the hard drive.(HT FILE)

The witness, Sukhmandir Lamba, told the court, “Pillai contacted me in March 2014 saying that someone has accessed her computer in her absence. I sent a technician on March 18 and he accessed the system logs. The log file indicated there was an access through an iMac. I requested Pillai to change the hard drive and she said she wanted to file a police complaint when the procedural investigation gets over.”

Advocate Amna Usman, of the chamber of Mahesh Jethmalani, interrogated Lamba, who said that someone may have installed malicious software on Pillai’s computer and for security reasons, he advised changing the hard drive.

His statement follows the statement of Pillai’s house help Raju Fulzale who had told the court previously about “someone” accessing her computer on March 3, 2014. Fulzale, who has been working at Pillai’s house for around 17 years, said in his statement before the magistrate that he saw Paes’ father with another man in the hall. He saw Paes’ driver Aziz breaking into Pilla’s room. Later, he saw someone using and “tampering” with Pillai’s computer.

In February, Pillai’s house help Manisha Jadhav had recorded her statement before the court, recalling the incident of May 8, 2014. Jadhav said Pillai and her daughter had gone to the latter’s friend’s birthday party. Paes had opened the main door and took Jadhav’s purse and mobile and handed it over to Aziz. Around 4-5 well-built persons were present in the room. Paes had asked Jadhav for the key to Pillai’s room and she denied having them. At around 7.30pm, Paes made one person to break open Pillai’s door and asked Jadhav to pack Pillai’s belongings in boxes. Paes did not open the door when Pillai rang the bell from 7.30pm to 8pm.