Ten arrested for selling CDR details to anti-social elements

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The Central Crime Branch (CCB)  Women Protection Wing has arrested 10 people for allegedly acting as private detective agencies and accessing call data record (CDR) details of people to probe matrimonial issues in the city.

A private agency in Govindaraj Nagar in Bengaluru was raided by a team of CCB sleuths led by Police Inspector Soumya N who initially arrested the owner, identified as Purushottam. Later the cops arrested more of his associates based on further information.

The accused, according to the police, have not taken a license from the authority concerned to run the business and using their network, accessed confidential Call Data Record (CDR) details of around 43 people to share it with anti-social elements and with their contacts who have matrimonial disputes.

This racket, according to a senior police official, also leads to the suspicion of possible involvement of a few police officers and telecom service providers. According to sources, the telecom companies cannot share CDR details until authorised by a senior police official.

The CCB said that the officers concerned will be held responsible even if there are any lapses in accessing the details. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that a detailed investigation has been ordered to ascertain the magnitude of the case and necessary action will be taken.

Based on a complaint, the Govindaraja Nagar police registered an FIR against Purushottam and others charging them under the Indian Telegraph (IT) Act, 1885, for cheating and criminal breach of trust for further investigation.