Nasscom to Channel 4: Help fix corrupt BPO staff

Expressing doubts about the veracity of 'The Data Theft Scandal' report to be aired by Channel 4, Nasscom today urged the TV channel to fully co-operate with authorities to find out the "corrupt staff" associated with Indian call centres.

In a statement issued today, Nasscom said it has written to the channel saying that their immediate co-operation was vital. The programme titled 'The Data Theft Scandal' is a part of Channel 4's investigative series 'Dispatches' that will be shown in the UK on Thursday.

The new investigation claims that details of credit cards, driving licences and passports are stolen from call centres and sold to the highest bidder.

"Nasscom had been in correspondence with Channel 4/Dispatches in connection with the broadcast and had requested details of the allegations which Dispatches intends to make together with the evidence/support documentation that they have. Dispatches have refused to provide that information," it said.

Channel 4 is understood to have spent over a year trying to locate security lapses in India's call centres.

Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said: "Whilst there are a lot of unanswered questions, we take any allegation of a breach in our security extremely seriously. It is vital that Dispatches co-operates immediately so that the perpetrators of any breach can be brought to justice and lessons can be learnt. Nasscom will reach out to the Indian police to investigate the claims made in the programme," he said.