London: Indian IT major HCL Technologies has
denied allegations that emails belonging to its client, News
International which is at the centre of a string of
phone-hacking scandals were destroyed at its Chennai office.
HCL`s client News International owns the News of the
World` tabloid, and the Indian IT major manages its IT
infrastructure based on an IT outsourcing agreement signed in
2009.
During a perjury trial involving former Scottish
Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan, it was stated that News
Internationals email data had been destroyed in HCLs Chennai
office.
However, it was later discovered that the emails
were stored in a warehouse in London.
On Wednesday, during a three-hour debate in the House of
Commons on the phone hacking issue, Labour MP Tom Watson said
there had been an attempt to destroy News International data
at the HCL storage facility in Chennai, India.
Lawyers for Tommy Sheridan now want his conviction
for perjury to be reviewed in view of the revelation that News
International emails had not been destroyed in Chennai and
were in fact lodged in a warehouse in London.
However, HCL Technologies said, "In light of
some regrettable comments made over the last few days, we
categorically confirm that HCL Technologies does not and has
not stored any data either in the UK or anywhere else in the
world."
"Accordingly, it is wholly impossible for there to have
been any destruction of data held by HCL, and any suggestion
to the contrary is misleading," it added.
HCL said it strongly adhered to, follows, and respect the
data privacy of both customers and authorities in the
countries where it operates.
"Over the past two months, we have been fully
co-operating with the Metropolitan Police at the request
of News International.
Due to ongoing investigations and client confidentiality
, HCL Technologies cannot under any circumstances, go into
further details on this matter at this stage," Indian IT
company added.
PTI
