Gujarat WFH techie, ex-colleague steal company data to open rival firm: Report

According to the FIR, the techie was granted remote access six months ago after citing personal reasons and a planned move to Vadodara. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A software engineer in Gujarat's Jamnagar allegedly exploited his work-from-home privileges to steal sensitive company data and launch a competing business, the Times of India reported.

Manish Bharadwa, a senior IT professional with a decade of experience, was arrested by Jamnagar cybercrime police following a complaint by his former employer, SNTG IT Services Pvt Ltd. The company, which develops specialised banking software for the hearing-impaired, accused Bharadwa of criminal breach of trust and data theft.

According to the FIR, Bharadwa was granted remote access six months ago after citing personal reasons and a planned move to Vadodara. Trusted with a company-issued system containing proprietary source codes, customer records, and design formulas, he allegedly used the opportunity to copy sensitive data and set up a rival firm—registered under his wife’s name and in collusion with a former colleague.

The breach came to light after SNTG’s internal audit flagged irregularities in Bharadwa’s work. When asked to account for the company system, he returned it abruptly without allowing an IT inspection. A forensic check later revealed that an external device had been used to extract data, and a proxy server had been set up—raising concerns of ongoing misuse.

Inspector IA Ghasura, leading the investigation, told the publication that the stolen data could be used to harm customers or damage the company’s interests. “Source code is like a blueprint. Copying it is a serious cybersecurity offence,” he said.

Bharadwa has been booked under Section 316(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.

A similar incident had unfolded in Bengaluru in 2023 when a company owner, who was facing stiff competition from a rival firm, joined it as a worker and diverted projects worth Rs 77 lakh to his own company.