LDF levels serious allegations over leak of applicants' personal information in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has demanded a thorough investigation by the state government into allegations that the personal information of individuals who applied for various purposes at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has been leaked. S.P. Deepak, leader of the LDF parliamentary party, stated that personal details, such as addresses of individuals submitting applications to the Corporation, are being misused to file fraudulent complaints or are being used for other unauthorised activities.

To illustrate this matter, Mr. Deepak cited a specific instance. He stated that a complaint was filed against an employee named Soumya, who serves as an office attendant in the Corporation's tax wing, using the name and address of a person named Ajayan, a resident of Madhavapuram in Velinam. The most shocking aspect of this incident is that Corporation officials hastily initiated disciplinary action against the employee without conducting any preliminary inquiry or verifying the facts.

It was only when officials contacted the alleged complainant that it was discovered that Ajayan's name and address had been used in the complaint and the signature had also been forged. Raising serious questions on this issue, Mr. Deepak said that authentication via Aadhaar-linked OTP is required for submitting applications or complaints in local self-government institutions. Despite such a process, the submission of such a fake complaint points towards suspicious activities, irregularities, and unauthorised interference by some staff members of the Corporation.

He further added that online complaints or applications generally include the applicant's phone number, and this information was also misused to file the fake complaint. He termed it extremely suspicious that immediate disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the employee without hearing the alleged complainant or verifying the veracity of the complaint. S.P. Deepak stated that the leak of information submitted for various purposes, including building construction permits, is a serious issue. According to a report by The Hindu, the LDF is now demanding strict action against those responsible in this entire scandal and a government probe.