Cyber Crime Wing of the Punjab Police on Wednesday arrested an accused involved in circulating the sexually explicit morphed images of the faculty members of a private university in Punjab by using hi-tech hacking Tools.

The accused, identified as Navjosh Singh Atwal, a resident of Ivory Tower, Sector-70, SAS Nagar (Mohali), was the student of the same University.

Advertisement

Divulging details, the additional director general of police (ADGP) cybercrime said that on 26 February 2022, a complaint was received from the private university authorities alleging someone is hacking their Email IDs, online teaching sessions utilising Zoom or Blackboard App and is also circulating sexually explicit morphed images of the faculty members through various WhatsApp Account numbers.

Following a complaint, a first information report (FIR) under Sections 354-D, 509, 120-B IPC, 66-C and 67-A of the IT Act-2000 was registered at Police Station State Cyber Crime.

Assistant inspector general (AIG), cybercrime; Nilambari Jagdale said the State Cyber Crime Cell coordinated with WhatsApp, Zoom and Google agencies regarding the suspicious activities.

During questioning, the accused revealed that he used to download the porn material from various porn websites and then used to morph the downloaded video content with pictures of faculty members of his educational institute to further circulate the morphed sexually explicit media by creating fake WhatsApp accounts using VPN and hacking tools.
The accused also used to post alleged sexual content during online educational sessions on Blackboard software and webinars conducted through Zoom applications.

During the course of investigation, mobile phones, laptop and other electronic gadgets having installed VPN and hacking software have been confiscated from the accused.

Further course of action may be done after forensic examination of these electronic gadgets. The accused has been remanded in police custody for two days.

Meanwhile, any cybercrime victim can register the complaint related to cybercrime on website www.cybercrime.gov.in or on email ID aigcc@punjabpolice.gov.in. The complaint can also be lodged on toll-free helpline number 155260.