HYDERABAD: With a local court denying anticipatory bail to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IT Grids India Limited and the other accused in the data theft case, officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) are all set to go after them.
At least four accused in the IT Grids scam - CEO Ashok Dakavaram, his wife Srilakshmi Dakavaram, Kamalakar and Abdul - filed a petition before the Rangareddy court seeking anticipatory bail. However, the court dismissed the plea after hearing arguments from both counsels.
Sources said that Ashok and the others now have to appear before the investigation agency for questioning in compliance with the notices served on the accused. The SIT has intensified its probe into the whereabouts of the accused, who have been absconding since the police registered cases.
Even as the courts directed the accused to cooperate with the investigation agencies, they have reportedly deliberately been avoiding the police by filing petitions in court. It is reported that the SIT took the case as a challenge, based on the gravity of the offence.
Role of ‘key person’ to be uncovered
Officials have learned of the role of a key person in the AP government, who helped transfer data of beneficiaries to IT Grids, to use it for political purposes. Speculation is rife that SIT officials would also add their name as an accused.
Lookout notices to be served?
The SIT is likely to serve lookout notices on the four accused persons, alerting airports to prevent them from leaving the country. Meanwhile, officials reportedly obtained CCTV footage from several toll plazas on the Vijayawada-Bengaluru and Hyderabad-Vijayawada highways to try and trace their movements.
Earlier, Cyberabad and Hyderabad police officials registered cases against IT Grids India Limited and its management for stealing data of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and using it for political preferences. Later, the cases were transferred to the SIT, led by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Stephen Ravindra.