Pune: Drone Firm Employee Booked for Stealing Sensitive Defence Data and Joining Rival Company
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 8th December 2025: The Chatushrungi Police have registered a case against a former Assistant Manager of a drone manufacturing company in Aundh for allegedly stealing confidential data related to the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, and joining a competitor firm in breach of his employment contract.
The FIR (No. 0488/2025) was registered on December 3, 2025, based on a complaint filed by Atul Narayan Chaudhari (41), a director at Ayaan Autonomous Systems Pvt. Ltd., Aundh.
The Accused
The police have booked Anand Matta (35), a resident of Pimple Saudagar. Matta was employed as an Assistant Manager (Research and Development) at Ayaan Autonomous Systems, a company that designs and manufactures drones for the Indian Armed Forces and DRDO.
The Allegations
According to the complaint, Matta had been working with the company’s sister concern since 2016 and was transferred to Ayaan Autonomous Systems in January 2020. He was handling critical projects involving drone manufacturing, architectural plans, design documents, procurement plans, and pricing information.
The complainant stated that the company holds highly sensitive and confidential data regarding the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
The incident came to light on November 28, 2025, when Matta abruptly stopped coming to work.
The FIR alleges that:
Data Theft: Matta allegedly took sensitive data, including source code, motherboard designs, sensor board details, and proprietary files, which were stored on his company laptop. It is suspected he transferred this data to his personal email and storage before returning the devices.
Contract Breach: The accused had signed a bond to serve the company until April 30, 2026. By resigning early and joining a rival firm without serving the notice period, he allegedly caused a financial loss of approximately ₹21 lakh to the company.
Compromising National Security Data: The complainant expressed concern that the stolen data, which includes specifications used by the Indian Defence Forces, could be misused or provided to competitors/other nations, posing a security risk.
Police Action
Based on the complaint, the Chatushrungi Police have charged Anand Matta under the following sections:
Information Technology Act, 2000: Sections 43 (Damage to computer/system), 66 (Computer-related offences), and 72A (Disclosure of information in breach of contract).
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: Sections 316(4) (Criminal Breach of Trust) and 318(4) (Cheating).
Police Inspector (Crime) Uttam Bhajnawale is investigating the case.
