New Delhi: The Rajasthan Police has booked former employees of Club First Robotics, a Jaipur-based firm that builds robotic and artificial intelligence-enabled unmanned ground vehicles for the military, on charges of selling confidential data. The police action came after the company’s director, Bhuvnesh Mishra, accused former employees of misappropriating funds and components to construct machines on their own without the company’s authorisation.
Mishra filed a complaint in Jaipur against four people including Mohanlal Chaudhary who was employed as the company’s marketing manager and had access to confidential information.
According to the firm’s website, it claims to build indigenous, Artificial Intelligence-enabled unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and tactical combat robots for military and security use. The company carved out a profile by developing two advanced firefighting platforms—Krushna and Xena—for high-risk tasks like remote surveillance, bomb disposal, logistics transport in hazardous terrain, and tactical operations.
According to the company’s website, the Krushna UGV is adept in conducting surveillance and logistical movement in hazardous missions when human intervention is not feasible. The UGV offers a critical role in fire-fighting and industrial roles, along with performing key roles in military and emergency operations.
On the other hand, Xena is a defence and tactical combat robot that can carrying up to 500 kg and can drag vehicles weighing up to 10 tonnes. Running on batteries, the UGV can work on all kinds of surfaces and in varied environments for surveillance as well as physical operations, the company’s website claims.
“That Accused No. 1 is employed as a marketing officer in the complainant’s said company and performs duties as part of his employment; the accused possesses the company’s confidential information, such as the official laptop, mobile phone, software, robot manufacturing technology (including coding languages, etc.), and details regarding the company’s debtors,” the firm’s director has alleged in the complaint.
Based on Mishra’s complaint, the Jaipur City Police registered a case under Sections 306 (theft), 314 (dishonest misappropriation of movable property), 316 (2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(3) & (4) (cheating), 320 (fraudulent removal or concealment of property), and 336(3) (forgery for the purpose of cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Mishra further informed the police that Chaudhary had been absent from work since 13 May this year without notice, and that the firm had therefore terminated his employment and asked him to complete the process for the clearance of dues. However, when Chaudhary did not appear even for that process, the firm realised wrongdoing on his part.
“He stole the company’s robot-manufacturing systems, machinery, parts, and materials, sold them to a third party for profit, and—posing as the company—contacted the company’s debtors to have outstanding dues transferred directly into his own bank account,” Mishra alleged in the complaint.
Upon restoring the company’s mobile number previously used by Chaudhary on behalf of the company, Mishra alleged that it was realised that he had colluded with other accused and shared confidential company equipment and materials with one Rohit Solanki. These components included monster track wheels, MK-15 remotes and their parts, camera modules, LiDAR sensors—all components of UGVs made by the firm along with UGV Xena.
“Accused No. 1 (Chaudhary) shared the company’s proprietary information and machine-building equipment details with others without authorisation. He engaged in fraud by creating forged company letterheads to issue quotations and conduct business on the company’s behalf, thereby receiving illicit funds into his own account,” Mishra further said in the complaint.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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