HYDERABAD: The city police allegedly took 11 more bloggers into custody for spreading communally sensitive videos that led to tension in areas of the Old City recently.
A special team seized their mobile phones and sent them to Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) for database information. The videos were viral on social media platforms prior to the arrest of Goshamahal MLA T. Raja Singh.
As the local police lack cybercrime technical equipment and are not experienced in dealing with such cases, the case has been handed over to the Central Crime Station (CCS) on Monday.
There would be a parallel investigation by south zone special branch senior officials who were making efforts to identify those who spread these videos, a police officer said. Sources revealed that the special branch police were facing serious issues in detecting the suspects as they had been changing their names and SIM cards on a daily basis.
In cybercrime, the offender, no matter how intelligent he is, leaves a footprint, according to experts. The suspects changed only names and SIM cards but not their device that would be soon tracked through the IMEI number, Anup Biswas, a cybercrime expert said.
The police collected the suspects’ caller dialling records (CDR), and videos circulated particularly prior and during the protests, the sources disclosed.
The special team arrested Imran Khan alias Caller Imran on Sunday. After FSL analysis from Imran’s mobile, police got the names and numbers of other 11 suspects who are now in police custody, reliable police revealed.
The 11 arrested bloggers allegedly uploaded provocative videos that disturbed communal harmony leading to the protests resulting in stone pelting at Shalibanda in the Old City.
Notices would be served to other suspects depending on the sensitivity of the case under TS Broadcasting Act. Only the city police commissioner had the authority to serve a notice in the Broadcasting Act, a senior officer from CCS disclosed. However cases under Sections 133 A, 506 and 505 of IPC will be booked against the persons.
MAJOR DRAWBACKS
·The IT Act has no such provision to act against broadcasting and spreading provocative speeches leading to communal disturbance.
·The number of suspects is over 1,000 times more than the SB staff
·Officials facing great difficulty to identify suspects
·Officials activated police informers’ network
·Other suspects deleted data not from social media platforms
