CHANDIGARH: Another milestone in ensuring the safety and security of the people through advanced means of Information Technology was added with the launching of the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell by the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, at an impressive function in Police Station, Sector 11 on Wednesday.

Set up by the Chandigarh Police with the participation of NASSCOM and Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh this Cell will help in checking computer related crimes, such as unauthorized access to a computer, online banking fraud, “phishing”, sale of illegal articles like wildlife products, drugs etc., pornography, online gambling, e-mail spoofing and cyber stalking.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, General Rodrigues emphasized the need of strengthening the linkages of this center with a national data base centers and NASSCOM, through effective coordination with other states, to check computer related crimes. He said that there is a need for adopting innovative and latest related software technologies to improve our delivery systems by equipping our staff managing the Cell, with professional skills, through skilled training programmes. The focus of the whole exercise is synergy and the  integration of different services to achieve set goals, as no system can successfully work in isolation.

Stressing the need for constantly monitoring, validation, and upgrading the programmes in Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, General Rodrigues said that we must modify our systems as per our own needs and requirements.  He emphasized that gray areas must be identified, with  follow up appropriate remedial steps. He said that we must expand our reach to the disadvantaged sections and extend necessary help,  through this Cyber Crime Investigation Cell to these vulnerable groups.

In his welcome address, Mr. S.K. Jain, IGP, UT said that to better fight with the cyber-crime, Chandigarh Police has set up a Hi-tech Cyber Crime Investigation Cell  in which one Portable Forensic Lab machine for capturing the data from suspect Hard disk of computers and portable devices without changing its hash value, one Cell –DEK machine for capturing data of SIM and memory card of mobile phones.  One Forensic Server with four forensic work stations and one laptop have been installed. Encase Forensic and cyber check suite softwares have been installed for analyzing the captured data of suspect Hard-Disk of computer and Cell-DEK software has been installed for analyzing data of captured mobiles. Chandigarh Police has also imparted training on Cyber Crime Investigation to GO’s & NGO’s through Delhi Police, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, Central Detective Training School, Sector 36, Chandigarh and CBI Academy, Gaziabad (UP).

A core group of NGOs have been given specialized training for the use of these forensic machines. Since the process of exception, Cyber Crime Investigation Cell has been fully successful in cases relating to use of Internet in committing crime.  The cell has a very good coordination with all the Internet Service Provider Giants, Companies in India. To further add a feather to the cap of Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, the cell has established online service link with world’s biggest Internet Giant Google Inc and Microsoft Corporation in U.S.A.