NIA chargesheets two for theft aboard aircraft carrier

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 5

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today said it has chargesheeted two accused in a case pertaining to theft of computer devices, including hard disc and RAM, from under-construction indigenous aircraft carrier at the Cochin Shipyard between July and September 2019.

NIA officials said accused Sumit Kumar Singh, a resident of Munger, Bihar, and Daya Ram of Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, were booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Information Technology (IT) Act for criminal trespass and theft of critical electronic components, including processors, random access memory and solid state drives, installed aboard the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) under construction at the shipyard.

The case was originally registered at the Ernakulam town south police station of Kochi on September 16, 2019, under sections of the IPC based on the complaint of the Deputy General Manager of the shipyard, the official said.

Anti-terror probe agency took over the case on October 16, 2019, and after “meticulous, extensive and scientific investigation” spread over nine months across several states, the agency zeroed in on the two accused persons, who were arrested from their native places.

During interrogations, the accused confessed to the crime and revealed they were engaged as contract employees for painting work aboard the IAC between February and September 2019.

While working aboard the IAC, they had observed the computer systems functioning on the warship and conspired to commit theft of computer hardware components for monetary gain, the officials said, adding they sold one stolen processor well before the theft was detected and the case registered. Other devices were recovered from them after their arrest on June 10 this year, they said.