New Delhi: The CBI on Wednesday arrested its software programmer and a private person for developing an illegal software to subvert the railways ‘Tatkal reservation system’.
According to sources Ajay Garg, an assistant programmer with CBI, had earlier worked with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) for four years between 2007-2011 where he learnt the vulnerabilities of the railway ticketing system.
Garg has been arrested along with his close aide Anil Gupta, a private person who distributed the software to agents for a price.
Besides, the agency sleuths have also identified 10 agents — seven in Jaunpur (Uttar Pradesh) and three in Mumbai—who were allegedly working for the accused, they added.
CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said, “This case is in line with CBI Director’s policy of having a robust internal mechanism of ensuring probity and having zero tolerance towards corruption”.
Garg, who joined CBI in 2012, exploited the vulnerabilities to develop the illegal software, which allowed agents to book hundreds of tickets in one go, leaving genuine passengers in the lurch, sources said. “The vulnerabilities of the IRCTC system still exist,” an official said. A postgraduate in computer applications, Garg allegedly sold the software through Gupta. It was also alleged that accused were allegedly receiving money from the agents for the use of said software through Bitcoins and hawala network.
“There were allegation that the accused had developed one illegal software to subvert the railways Tatkal reservation system and conspired with a private person whereby they were indulging in distributing the software to the agents for their unauthorised use for a hefty consideration. Use of such software is illegal as per rules and regulations of IRCTC and also under the Railways Act”, sources said. It was also alleged that the accused was collecting money from the booking agents and had amassed huge wealth from these activities, they added.
The agency sleuths also conducted searches at 14 places in Delhi, Mumbai and Jaunpur (UP) which resulted in recoveries of cash of Rs. 89.42 lakh, gold jewellery valued at Rs. 61.29 lakh, 15 laptops, 15 Hard Disks, 52 Mobile phones, 24 SIMs, 10 Notebooks, six routers, four dongles, 19 Pen Drives and other incriminating material from the premises of the accused and others.
