Thiruvananthapuram: Two temporary data entry operators with the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation have been dismissed after they allegedly misused the user name and password of the civic officials and allotted numbers to an illegal building.
The modus operandi is similar to the one which was reported at the Kozhikode Corporation, earlier.
The Cyber crime wing of the police has started an investigation on Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran’s complaint to ADGP Manoj Abraham.
The Corporation building numbers have been illegally allotted to two properties on T K Divakaran Road in Kesavadasapuram Ward, Thiruvananthapuram. In the inquiry conducted by the Revenue department, it was found that the buildings owned by Ajayaghosh have been illegally allotted the numbers TC 15/2909 (1) and TC 15/2909 (2).
When the owner had earlier applied to operate a business in this building, the Corporation had rejected the same on the grounds that the building has no number issued by the civic body.
The bill collector in the ward raised suspicion regarding the allotment of a number to this building. Following this, an inquiry was conducted bringing to light the password misuse fraud.
Following the discovery of similar fraudulence in Kozhikode, it was decided to check the building numbers allotted by the zonal offices in Nemom and Fort, besides the Corporation's main office.
The irregularity came to light after completing the verification process of about 312 of the total 1,686 building numbers allotted during the months of April and May. The file has been entered on the computer on January 28, at 8.26 am, using the bill collector’s user name and password. The file was checked using the Revenue inspector’s password at 8.30 and the building number was allotted at 8.37 am, on the same day.
Software hacked
At Kozhikode Corporation, the passwords of the Revenue department officials were misused and 15 building numbers were found to have been allotted illegally. Following this, a complaint was given to the police. In one of these cases, two clerks with the Corporation, the building owner, and 4 mediators were arrested.
The illegal numbers were allotted after editing the information on Sanchaya software, given by the actual owner in the application for the issue of building numbers. Four officials are also under suspension for failing to ensure security while dealing with the passwords.
