Kathmandu, March 23

The Metropolitan Police Crime Division has arrested a teenager on the charge of hacking over 200 official websites of government and non-governmental organisations.

Bikash Paudel (18) of Bandipur, Tanahun district and currently residing at Balaju of Nagarjun Municipality was held from Sorhakhutte on Sunday.

The MPCD said that Paudel had hacked the websites of government and non-governmental organisations by using the name of “Anonymous # Opnep”.

Paudel had hacked the websites of National Tuberculosis Centre, Nepal Telecom, Dairy Development Corporation, Office of Cottage and Small Industries, various educational institutions, among others, besides stealing details of the website users, the MPCD said. He is a Plus Two level student.

“During interrogation, the teenager said he did all these as part of practice to gain expertise in hacking websites,” a official said. He has been charged under the Electronic Transaction Act, 2008.

Any person involved in cyber crime is liable to Rs 100,000 fine or five years in jail or both as per Section 47 of the Act.