KOLKATA: The West Bengal police is preparing to frame charges against Manojit Mishra, the prime accused in the South Calcutta Law College gang rape case, based on crucial digital evidence collected so far. Cyber expert Bibhas Chatterjee has been appointed as a special public prosecutor to ensure the use of digital documents as strong evidence in the case.
Police sources say that in order to ensure strict punishment for the accused involved in the incident, which took place inside the college, investigators are gathering multiple digital records, including mobile phone locations, call records, and CCTV footage.
Sources from Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, confirmed that on the night of the incident, both Mishra and the victim were present in the college. Their location was verified through mobile tower data. The police used a method called tower dumping technology, which collects records of all calls made and received in a specific area during a particular time, to confirm their presence at the scene. CCTV footage from the college has also been secured.
Additionally, police have seized Mishra’s mobile phone and recovered several important clues from it, which may further help in solving the case.
Cyber experts believe that mobile applications like Google Locator can provide almost accurate information about a person's location.
Tathagata Datta, a cyber security expert, said, “Even if someone turns the location identifier off, it is still possible to get his or her location from the locator’s map using latitude and longitude. It is a proven technology in solving many cases across the world. So, it can also be used in addition to tower location in this case.”
Police sources also confirmed that another accused, Zaib Ahmed, was present in the college that night. CCTV footage from a nearby medicine store showed him buying an inhaler, and visuals of the online payment were captured.
All these digital documents and evidence will be crucial in the investigation. In addition, data collected from the victim’s phone and the mobile phones of the two other accused will also be submitted to the court.
According to legal experts, police will need to send all digital evidence to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to confirm their authenticity.
Once the trial begins, all documents and evidence will be officially submitted to the court, police sources said.