AIZAWL: Mizoram Police cyber crime officials arrested two persons from two places in south Mizoram on May 12 for allegedly committing online identity theft and harassing a woman, chief public relations officer and IGP John Neihlaia said on Tuesday.
Neihlaia said a complaint was received from a woman, a resident of Zarkawt in Aizawl, who stated that her son’s photo and username were used in Instagram by an unknown person for allegedly collecting donations for Myanmar refugees in Mizoram.
“Cyber crime police station registered a criminal case on August 29 last year under section 66C/66D of IT Act, 2000,” he said.
“The investigation did not prove to be an easy task for our cyber sleuths as the SIM card, the phone number that was mentioned in the FIR, was no longer active and there was no call record available. However, one suspect was identified to be the user of a similar handset bearing the same international mobile equipment identity (IMEI),” he said.
After interrogating the suspect, it was established that S Malsawmdawngzuala (27), a student of College Veng in Siaha district, had created the fake Instagram account of the victim, said police.
The IGP said another complaint, received from another woman of Aizawl that last month, stated that an Instagram user who used the name, Ebenezer Fanai, sent her an obscene video and harassed her using vulgar words.
After repeated harassment, she planned to uncover the miscreant’s identity. She asked for his phone number on the pretext of having a WhatsApp video call with him. He took the bait and gave her his contact number.
A case under sections 292 (2) (a)/500/507 IPC read with 67 IT Act 2000 read with 3 Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986 was registered against him. The cyber sleuths said the accused worked at a private security firm at Khatla in Aizawl and his real identity was found to be Vanlalhmingchhuanga (24) of Lungtian II in Lawngtlai district.
With the help of local police, a team of cyber crime police went to Lungtian village and arrested the accused.
Neihlaia said a complaint was received from a woman, a resident of Zarkawt in Aizawl, who stated that her son’s photo and username were used in Instagram by an unknown person for allegedly collecting donations for Myanmar refugees in Mizoram.
“Cyber crime police station registered a criminal case on August 29 last year under section 66C/66D of IT Act, 2000,” he said.
“The investigation did not prove to be an easy task for our cyber sleuths as the SIM card, the phone number that was mentioned in the FIR, was no longer active and there was no call record available. However, one suspect was identified to be the user of a similar handset bearing the same international mobile equipment identity (IMEI),” he said.
After interrogating the suspect, it was established that S Malsawmdawngzuala (27), a student of College Veng in Siaha district, had created the fake Instagram account of the victim, said police.
The IGP said another complaint, received from another woman of Aizawl that last month, stated that an Instagram user who used the name, Ebenezer Fanai, sent her an obscene video and harassed her using vulgar words.
After repeated harassment, she planned to uncover the miscreant’s identity. She asked for his phone number on the pretext of having a WhatsApp video call with him. He took the bait and gave her his contact number.
A case under sections 292 (2) (a)/500/507 IPC read with 67 IT Act 2000 read with 3 Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986 was registered against him. The cyber sleuths said the accused worked at a private security firm at Khatla in Aizawl and his real identity was found to be Vanlalhmingchhuanga (24) of Lungtian II in Lawngtlai district.
With the help of local police, a team of cyber crime police went to Lungtian village and arrested the accused.