Hyderabad: Cops get new gadgets for cyber crime probe

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad city police has procured sophisticated tools for the cyber crime wing at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore. The new gadgets will enable the cops to nab cyber criminals fast and collect evidence.

As cyber criminals are adopting latest methods to cheat Netizens the cyber crime wing decided to procure the latest equipment to nab them. Additional commissioner Swathi Lakra told DC that the equipment procured from abroad would be useful in the investigation of cyber crimes as well as collecting evidence.

She said the police was procuring mobile forensic tools, digital forensic hardware and software, tools for collecting fingerprints and 3D scanners. “At present the CCS building is being repaired. By August-end the works will be completed. During the inauguration of the building we are planning to launch new cyber labs equipped with the new equipment,” she said.

Ms Lakra said the police was planning to recommend detention of cyber criminals under the PD Act. A cyber crime wing official said that cops were now using the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for collecting evidence in cyber crimes and as a result cases were getting delayed as the FSL had many cases.

“The latest tools will enable police to collect evidence accurately. The supporting evidence have no authentication in courts but the investigation will assist FSL teams to prepare speedy reports,” the source said.

The official said the equipment can retrieve erased data from hard disks. “No storage device can escape these tools. Even if the criminals wipe data we can retrieve them. We can create disk images without disturbing the originals on the drives. The software costs about Rs 18 lakh. We have also procured high-end computers,” the official said.