Mumbai: Mumbai Police registered a case against three former employees of an internet service provider for allegedly cutting and stealing optical fibre cables, leading to the disruption of internet connectivity in several parts of Mulund (West). The incident, which came to light earlier this month, affected residential areas and raised concerns over the safety of critical telecom infrastructure in the city.
The accused have been identified as Karan Udhim, Sagar Katkar and Aman Shaikh, all former employees of Intech Online Private Limited, an internet service provider headquartered in Wagle Estate, Thane. According to the police, CCTV footage from the area revealed the involvement of the three accused along with four other unidentified accomplices in the act.
Fibre Cables Found Deliberately Cut
Police officials said the company noticed a sudden disruption in internet services on January 5, when multiple customers from Mulund (West) reported connectivity issues. Upon investigation, the company found that its optical fibre cables, which form a crucial part of its network infrastructure, had been deliberately cut and removed from Deen Dayal Road.
“When the firm checked CCTV footage from nearby locations, it was clearly seen that the accused, who were former employees, had damaged and removed the fibre optic cables,” a police officer said, as quoted by Hindustan Times. The footage also showed the presence of additional individuals assisting them during the act, leading the police to widen the scope of the investigation.
Following the discovery, Abdul Shaikh, 58, the manager of Intech Online Private Limited, lodged a formal complaint with the police. Based on his statement and preliminary evidence, the police registered a case under Section 42 of the Telecommunications Act, which deals with damage to critical telecom infrastructure.
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Empolyees Sacked Over Creating Disturbance Under Influence
Further inquiry revealed that the accused were among seven employees who had been terminated by the company around six months ago. According to police, the employees were sacked after allegedly creating a disturbance at the company office while under the influence of alcohol. Cops are now probing whether the act of vandalism was driven by a personal grudge or was intended for financial gain through theft of cables.
The police are also working to identify and trace the remaining four accomplices seen in the CCTV footage. Efforts are underway to recover the stolen cables and assess the total damage caused to the company’s network. Meanwhile, internet services in the affected areas were restored after emergency repair work by the company. P
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