A Customs department official has been detained by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of Delhi Police for allegedly selling sensitive data to private companies, including firms based in China, The Indian Express has learnt.
The case pertains to an FIR registered by the IFSO unit on March 10 under provisions of the Information Technology Act, the Customs Act, and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including conspiracy, cheating and breach of confidentiality.
Sources said the accused, identified as Rahul Sinha, is currently in police custody and is being questioned.
When contacted, DCP (IFSO) Vinit Kumar confirmed that the matter was under investigation. “The case is under investigation. No further information can be divulged at the moment,” he added.
Police said a complaint was filed with the IFSO unit on February 27, alleging the unauthorised access, extraction, disclosure and commercial sale of sensitive customs data from notified protected systems classified as critical information infrastructure. The complaint was submitted by the Joint Director (Data Centre and Cyber Security), Directorate General of Systems.
The complaint alleged that someone had illegally accessed and sold customs data from government systems. The data, pertaining to trade details and confidential information, may have been extracted by misusing passwords, insider access or third-party access, it added.
The FIR mentioned that the data stolen was important, as it was processed and stored in central government databases, and comprised both personally identifiable and commercially sensitive information.
“It includes detailed insights into pricing, sourcing patterns, supplier relationships, trade volumes, logistics chains and the market positioning of exporters and importers. If accessed and misused unlawfully, such data can act as economic intelligence, allowing competitors or data brokers to analyse transaction-level pricing and undercut businesses by strategically lowering prices,” the FIR said.
“This can distort fair market practices, lead to price suppression, reduce export margins, divert orders, and create artificial competitive disadvantages, ultimately affecting foreign exchange inflows. At a larger level, such breaches can undermine confidence in India’s digital trade systems, weaken the global competitiveness of domestic industries, and pose serious risks to revenue, trade policy, and national economic security,” it added.
Police said the alleged breach was a serious matter because it affects government systems, business secrets, and national economic security.
According to the FIR, the CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, under Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) has shared a list of around 70 websites allegedly selling the stolen data. A sample of the data was cross-checked with official records and it was found to be matching, confirming that the leak is genuine, it added.
The document lists many Indian and international companies/websites linked to import-export and trade data services, which are suspected of collecting and selling sensitive government data.
According to the FIR, to verify the allegations, officers conducted a covert test by creating accounts on some of the websites and making payments to access them. After payment, they were given access to download the stolen data that matched official records.
The FIR further said that the leaked data originated from highly secure government systems. Police suspect insiders or external vendors are involved in the leak.
The complaint refers to evidence, including screenshots, communications, technical logs and official notifications, and seeks a detailed investigation, including tracking how the data was stolen and who was involved.
“The data includes personal information and business details, which should not be publicly available. This confirms that there is unauthorised data leakage and sale,” the FIR said.
Source from: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/data-leaked-china-based-customs-officer-detained-10681791/
