Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau to launch dedicated cyber cells in Kerala
KOCHI: With digital evidence playing a crucial role in the probe into corruption cases, the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) is all set to launch its own cyber cells/cyber forensic laboratories in the state soon.In majority of the graft cases, the sleuths derive evidence from online and mobile platforms and, the VACB currently depends on the cyber cells of the state police for analysing digital evidence.
The cyber cells of the VACB will be set up with the support of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). The state government had recently accorded administrative sanction and allotted funds for establishing cyber cell.
“An amount of `35 lakh was sanctioned for training officers and purchasing equipment, including software, for the cyber cell. The intention is to set up a cyber cell at the VACB Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Later similar, cyber forensic laboratories will be introduced at the regional level in Kochi and Kozhikode.The plan is to launch the cyber cells by the end of the current fiscal,” said an officer at the VACB headquarters.
C-DAC has been imparting training to VACB officers from across the state on operating the proposed cyber cell. “Around 50 officers from various Vigilance units in different parts of the state have been familiarised with various tools used in the cyber cell. More officers will be given training in the coming days,” the officer said. Unlike the situation prevalent a decade ago, the majority of evidence in corruption cases emerge through the online platform.
The officers are trained in extracting samples during the probe through e-mail, social networking media, mobile phones, hard disks, computers and laptops. They are also trained in analysing data in the form of video and audio clippings.“Currently, we depend on the cyber cells of the state police in analysing digital evidence. However, it takes time in getting the report from police cyber cell, delaying our investigation as well. By introducing cyber cell in VACB, the investigation will speed up,” he said. A total of 338 and 149 corruption cases were registered by the VACB in Kerala in 2016 and 2017 respectively.