The Karnataka police on August 10 arrested three individuals associated with a Hassan-based company on allegations of hacking and replacing the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) website earlier this year. The accused have been identified as Dharmesh Jain, Siddharth, and Venkatesh. The prime accused linked to Varahe Analytics – a political strategy firm working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – remains at large.
The incident dates back to February of this year when the KPCC reported multiple cyberattacks on its website in the run-up to the state Assembly polls. The hackers not only succeeded in taking down the official website but also replaced it with a deceptive clone that launched scathing attacks on the Congress party. False accusations of communalism and corruption were propagated through the fake website, accompanied by manipulated images of Congress leaders. KPCC filed a formal complaint, initiating an investigation by the cybercrime police. Cyber Crime Police had registered a criminal case under Sections 66(c) (identity theft), 66(D) (cheating by impersonation), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
The investigative focus ultimately zeroed in on a company named M/s Vet Fab Technologies Private Ltd, registered in Hassan and maintaining offices in Bengaluru. The police concluded that this firm was responsible for developing the fraudulent website and uploading its malicious content, aimed at spreading false information.
Screenshot of the fake website
The police conducted raids in Hassan and Bengaluru resulting in the arrests of Dharmesh Jain. He is believed to have been involved in the financial aspects of the website. One more suspect, identified as Arun, was also detained. Siddharth and Venkatesh were also arrested during the raids. The other three were directors, while Venkatesh was an employee of the Hassan-based firm.
The police said that Shashank Bharadwaj, associated with Varahe Analytics, allegedly approached M/s Vet Fab Technologies to create the fraudulent website. He is absconding, the police said.