Hacker's e-mail sets off probe against food chain

LUDHIANA: A computer software company owner has alleged that his e-mail account was hacked in which the person sought a reward from the Income Tax (I-T) department by lodging a complaint of disproportionate assets against the Basant food chain here.
Anil Dutt Sharma, the owner of the software company, alleged that one of his business rivals had hacked his e-mail account and also wrote his residential address in Haibowal in the e-mail.
On January 1, an e-mail was sent from Sharma''s rediffmail account to the chief commissioner of income tax, director investigation, Chandigarh, and to excise and taxation commissioner, Patiala, alleging that the bills given to the customers by the Basant food chain were a mere print out on computer of an order form, rather than a proper bill.
The ensuing paragraphs of the e-mail go on to illustrate the different branches the food chain owns in the city. The complainant claims that the total sale of the food chain was no less than Rs five lakh per day.
It is learnt that the I-T department has already started an enquiry against the Basant food chain.
Sharma said that he first came to know about the matter when he received a receipt from the I-T department, Chandigarh, stating that they had received his complaint.
He explained that he replied to the department mentioning that he had never made such a complaint, but even before he got a response, he was summoned by SP City I, Ludhiana, Harish Kumar, for an enquiry on January 20.
Sharma said that he explained to the police officer that he suspected that his email account was hacked and added that some of his clients, hoteliers at Ludhiana, had complained about receiving virus mails from his e-mail ID.
However, till now the police has neither been able to find out whether Sharma is saying the truth or help him trace the real culprit, who he suspects is one of his business rivals.
Sharma explained that his firm, Anush Software, supplied computers to most of the hoteliers in Ludhiana, and it was the owner of another computer firm who indulged in this kind of petty work.
Interestingly, when Harish Kumar was reached for comments, he outrightly denied having ever dealt with any such case.