**Legal Dispute Between Infosys and Cognizant Over Trade Secrets**
Infosys Ltd has refuted allegations from Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. regarding the theft of trade secrets, asserting that a simple internet search reveals publicly available information about Cognizant’s healthcare solutions. This prompted a US court to request that Cognizant clarify the nature of its claimed trade secrets. In a motion filed earlier in January, Infosys contended that Cognizant’s definition of trade secrets is overly broad and widely known.
Infosys stated, “Cognizant relies on vague and expansive definitions of ‘Trade Secret and Confidential Information’ that encompass every aspect of its two-decade-old software products, QNXT and Facets, claiming these as the trade secrets allegedly misappropriated by Infosys. This assertion is incorrect, both factually and legally.” The company further noted that public information about these software applications is readily accessible, with numerous healthcare, insurance, and IT professionals having access to QNXT and Facets.
On January 17, Infosys filed a motion in a Dallas court, seeking to compel Cognizant to accurately identify the trade secrets it claims were misappropriated. In a joint response filed on January 22, Cognizant requested an extension until March 10, 2025, to respond to Infosys’s counterclaim. Infosys is represented by Jenner & Block LLP, while Cognizant is represented by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
This ongoing legal battle has intensified the scrutiny on the management of both companies, as the dispute originated in August 2024 when Cognizant accused Infosys of stealing trade secrets related to software used for processing insurance claims in the healthcare sector. Infosys countered these allegations in a January 9 filing, suggesting that it was Cognizant’s CEO, Ravi Kumar S., who delayed the launch of Infosys’s healthcare products while negotiating his transition to Cognizant. Kumar joined Cognizant as CEO in January 2023 after leaving Infosys. On January 17, Infosys submitted a 302-page motion requesting that Cognizant clearly outline its trade secrets.