A 35-year-old woman in Hyderabad was recently convicted for criminal breach of trust, unauthorised access to the computer systems and data theft, 16 years after the case was filed in 2009. The XII Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate G Anusha sentenced Anasuya Vemuri on April 30 to one year of imprisonment, and fined Rs 25,000. Vemuri allegedly used the stolen data to start a rival business.
“Upon thorough examination of the evidence, facts, and circumstances, it is unequivocally established that the accused’s actions constitute a flagrant case of criminal breach of trust and dishonest misappropriation of proprietary information belonging to K Balraj ( complainant’s) company. The existence of “mens rea” (culpable intent) is manifest, as the accused exploited the entrusted data to establish a competing enterprise utilising identical content,” the judgment order said.
The judgment comes following completion of the investigation in a First Information Report (FIR) registered in 2009 under sections 408 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 66-B and 43 R/w 66 of the IT Act for criminal breach of trust by an employee and embezzlement of funds of the company.
The court found her guilty under IPC Section 408 and Sections 66-B and 43 read with Section 66 of the Information Technology Act. She was acquitted of charges under Section 420 IPC and Sections 65 and 72 of the IT Act due to insufficient evidence. She has been convicted under Section 248(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and acquitted under Section 248(1) of CrPC.
Dara Kavitha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crimes, Hyderabadsaid in a statement that the conviction sends a strong message about the seriousness with which cyber crimes are treated and reflects the commitment of law enforcement and the judiciary in safeguarding the public from cyber criminals.
According to the police, SIS Info Tech Private Ltd alleged in a complaint that Vemuri, a former employee who served as chief manager, Editorial Services, from March 1994 to October 2005, had illicitly retained access to the company’s sensitive and proprietary information, including intellectual property, trade secrets, digital content, and other confidential data.
The complainant asserted that during her tenure, Vemuri had unrestricted access to the company’s main servers and databases, containing valuable assets developed over several years at considerable expense.
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