Amaravati: Reacting sharply over the alleged data theft case, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday warned the Telangana government that if it files one case, he will respond with four cases.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President said that he would not keep quiet if raids were conducted in the name of data theft.
Alleging that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government was stealing the TDP data and passing it on to YSR Congress for misuse in the coming elections, he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy were working together in a conspiracy to damage the TDP.
Naidu's reaction came after police in Hyderabad registered a case against IT Grids, a firm providing IT services to the TDP, for alleged data theft.
Cyberabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said on Monday that the Hyderabad-based company had access to personal and sensitive data of Andhra Pradesh people and it was using this for 'Sevamitra', an app developed by the firm for the TDP. Police suspect that the data is being misused for voter profiling to delete names of "anti-TDP" voters.
Stating that police would not spare the accused, irrespective of the positions they were holding, the Police Commissioner did not rule out booking more people in the case.
The TDP chief, however, alleged that it was a conspiracy to steal TDP's data.
Naidu pointed out that his party has been storing the data from 1984. He claimed that he was the first Chief Minister in the country to use computer technology.
Stating that TRS was playing a drama by kidnapping the IT employees, he warned that if it continues to do this, not a single IT company will remain in Hyderabad.
He also reminded the TRS that Hyderabad is a common capital for 10 years.
Naidu wondered how Telangana can register a case about Andhra Pradesh data on a complaint by some individual.
"If anybody is stealing our government data, will Hyderabad police protect it," he asked.
Naidu also came down heavily on election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, saying a man from Bihar was behind the conspiracy to delete eligible voters from the voters list.
He said the government would deal firmly with the conspiracy to delete the names of voters and warned that those indulging in cyber crimes would be jailed.
The TDP leader alleged that 8 lakh votes were deleted by using Form-7. "It looks as if they will remove my vote too," he remarked.