Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 07 December 2023
In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Cell in Port Blair has made a significant arrest, apprehending a college student identified as A. Ashwin in connection with a sophisticated cybercrime case. The case involves morphing victim’s images and disseminating them to the victim’s acquaintances, accompanied by threatening emails.
The investigation, launched following a formal complaint by the victim, unveiled the utilisation of advanced techniques to manipulate images and orchestrate cyber threats, causing severe emotional distress to the victims.
Inspector Ranga Raj, leading the Cyber Cell team in Port Blair, along with a proficient team comprising Insp. Mohd. Sameer, ASI Raja, HC/316 Bhupender Kr. Singh, PC/2725 Kayan Mohd, PC/2173 Atish, PC/765 Wilson Toppo, PC/1110 Sangeeta Mazumder, PC/837 Hari Krishna, PC/1683, T. Vikash, HG(R)/15 Gnana Sekar, meticulously traced and apprehended A. Ashwin. Despite Ashwin’s attempts to conceal his digital footprints, the team employed advanced cyber forensic techniques to track and arrest him. Interestingly, Ashwin, is a friend of the victim and had also initially accompanied the victim to lodge the complaint at Cyber Cell, Port Blair.
During interrogation, Ashwin disclosed his communication with an individual from Nigeria through WhatsApp. This connection led to the sharing of classmates’ photos, eventually evolving into a plan to extort money from the victim through manipulated images.
The entire investigation was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Lakshay Pandey, DANIPS, Dy.SP (Cyber), and Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, IPS, Superintendent (CID). The accused has been presented before the Court of Law for Police Custody, facing charges under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and other applicable laws.
A&N Police reiterates its commitment to ensuring digital safety and security. Vigilance and prompt reporting of suspicious online activities are encouraged. Safeguarding digital identities is crucial, and any observed cybercrimes should be reported promptly to law enforcement agencies.
For further information or inquiries, individuals can contact the Cyber Cell in Port Blair via Cyber Helpline No. 9531856083 or visit cybercrime.gov.in.