Infosys caught 'red-handed' stealing trade secrets: Cognizant
What's the story
Cognizant has accused Infosys of being "caught red-handed" stealing the trade secrets of its healthcare software TriZetto, in a US lawsuit. The allegation was made in a Dallas court filing, intensifying the legal battle between the two IT giants. This comes after a countersuit by Infosys against Cognizant last month, where it claimed that Ravi Kumar S, Cognizant's CEO and former Infosys executive, had delayed the launch of Infosys's own healthcare software product.
Counterclaim
Infosys denies allegations of theft
Infosys has denied Cognizant's allegations of trade secret theft. In a January 9 filing, the firm said information about Cognizant's healthcare solutions was publicly available. It also urged the Dallas court to compel Cognizant to properly identify the alleged stolen trade secrets. The dispute between the two companies began in August 2024 when Cognizant first accused Infosys of stealing its TriZetto trade secrets.
Misuse claim
Infosys allegedly misused TriZetto information
In its court response, Cognizant claimed, "Infosys was caught red-handed misappropriating TriZetto trade secrets that Infosys originally had access to through non-disclosure and access agreements (NDAAs)." The company further alleged that Infosys refused an audit of its use of TriZetto information, which could have clarified the specifics of the purportedly stolen trade secrets.
Legal request
Cognizant seeks dismissal of Infosys's plea
Cognizant has asked the Dallas court to dismiss Infosys's plea. The company said Infosys attempted to "cover up its misconduct" by asking the court to block discovery of its alleged trade secret theft. Cognizant also rebutted Infosys's claim that it wasn't specifying its trade secrets, saying it wasn't required to do so and the premise under which Infosys sought specificity was outdated and overruled by another ruling.
Audit defense
Cognizant defends its audit request
Defending its audit request, Cognizant said, "Even independent of this lawsuit, TriZetto is contractually entitled under the NDAAs to audit Infosys's business records." The company claimed that Infosys had violated seven non-disclosure agreements while accessing the TriZetto software. It also alleged that Infosys had given unauthorized access of Trizetto's confidential information to a "senior technology architect" for developing a competing software product.