Theft from INS Vikrant caused damage of Rs 25 lakh

KOCHI: The theft of computer hardware components in 2019 from INS Vikrant that was under construction at the Cochin Shipyard caused damage to the tune of Rs 25.77 lakh. It was stated in the NIA court judgment sentencing two accused persons to rigorous imprisonment of five and three years on November 4. The theft was carried out five times in the high-security zone.

The theft was detected in the integrated platform management system (IPMS) of the naval ship. NIA took over the probe and arrested Sumit Kumar Singh, 24, of Munger, Bihar and Daya Ram, 24, of Hanumangarh, Rajasthan.

“The critical computer hardware components stolen were worth Rs 2.5 lakh and there was damage worth Rs 25.77 lakh besides the delay in the timeline of the defence project. Each time the data was accessed, security of the nation was compromised,” the order stated.

It was also stated the accused persons carried out theft on four occasions between June and September 2019. The accused persons had been engaged in painting work at V and W rings of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier. They identified the computers installed and functioning of the multi-function consoles (MFCs), which form part of the IPMS in the warship. In mid-June 2019, Sumit being self-trained in computer hardware components, trespassed and opened the central processing unit (CPU) of the MFC in the 5Q ring of the ship and learnt about the hardware components.

In the second week of July, they trespassed into the section base at the 5Q ring of the aircraft carrier where MFC No 29 was installed. Sumit broke open the system, accessed the CPU of MFC No 29/WM SB4 computer and committed theft of two RAMs, one processor and one 256GB SSD with data. Daya Ram stood at the entrance of 5Q Ring to watch for other people coming. The accused threw two cooling fans removed from the MFC into the water from the starboard side of the ship and the side cover of the CPU was concealed over the air conditioning duct.

The second theft was carried out in the last week of July 2019. The duo trespassed into the 4R ring of IAC and committed the theft of two RAMs and one 256GB SSD with data. The next theft was carried out in the first week of August, when they trespassed into the 5N ring of the ship where MFC No 28 was installed and stole two RAMs, one processor and one 256GB SSD with data. They also trespassed into the 7P ring of the ship where MFC No 25 was installed and committed theft of two RAMs and one computer processor containing data on the security of the nation.

The last theft was carried out in the first week of September when they stole two RAMs, one heat sink, one processor and one 256GB SSD from the 5M ring from where MFC No 13 was installed.

“Theft of high-end digital devices has been committed from an Indian warship which had been the symbol of national pride and these instances had been carried out over a period of time. The vulnerable data contained in the device had been compromised in the diction of security that reveals a very serious face of it,” Judge K Kamanees observed.