The Dighi police in Pune have taken legal action against a systems administrator from a private engineering college following a major digital lockdown allegedly orchestrated over a salary dispute. The accused individual is charged with bringing the institution's entire computer infrastructure to a standstill and altering critical website credentials.
College Systems Paralyzed Since January 9
According to police officials, the college's computer network has been non-functional since January 9. The disruption has significantly hampered administrative and academic operations, causing inconvenience to both the college management and its student body. Authorities are currently working to restore the systems.
Salary Negotiations Turn Sour, Leading to Digital Shutdown
The chain of events began when employees from the college's computer and systems department, including the accused administrator, submitted a formal application seeking a salary increase. While negotiations were reportedly underway, the administrator stopped attending work for three months. Consequently, the college withheld his salary for that period.
Allegedly enraged by this, the administrator took drastic measures. On January 9, he changed the super administrator password and deliberately shut down the entire college computer system. A police officer stated that the complainant alleged the accused refused to reactivate the systems until the college met the staff's demands and cleared his three months' pending salary.
Legal Repercussions Under New Laws
The college's executive director formally lodged a complaint with the Dighi police station. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case under Sections 316 (criminal breach of trust) and 324 (mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside relevant sections of the Information Technology Act. This marks a significant application of the newly implemented BNS in a cyber-related dispute.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities educational institutions face from internal technical staff and the serious legal consequences of holding digital infrastructure hostage during employment disputes. It serves as a cautionary tale for both employers regarding timely conflict resolution and for employees on the perils of taking unilateral disruptive action.
