Dentist ‘abduction’ case: HC asks UT administration to ensure preservation of data related to phone numbers of 11 persons

On January 5 this year, the High Court had asked the UT to preserve the geo-satellite location data as well as CDRs pertaining to the mobile numbers. During the resumed hearing of the case, counsels for Chandigarh — A M Punchhi and Anupam Bansal — submitted that in compliance of the previous orders dated February 17, 2022 and January 5, 2023, all sincere efforts are being made in the shape of issuance of notices, besides constant correspondence/emails with the different service providers as well as the officials of Google US and Apple India for the purpose of obtaining the requisite data which is Exchange Data Record (EDR), IP Data Record (IPDR) and dump data etc. The counsel for UT thus prayed for two weeks’ time in this regard.

The Bench of Justice Harkesh Manuja said let a complete and comprehensive affidavit be filed on the compliance of orders dated February 17, 2023 and January 5, 2023 within a period of two weeks.

Appearing for Dr Dhawan, advocates Puja Chopra and Sandhya Gaur contended that “in previous order dated January 5, 2023, this court issued direction for preservation of the Geo Satellite Location data as well as CDRs pertaining to the mobile numbers mentioned therein, however, the said direction needs to be clarified further, so as to include Exchange Data Record (EDR), IP Data Record (IPDR) and dump data etc.”

Justice Manuja, while adjourning the matter for February 20, ordered, “In the meanwhile, in continuation to the previous order dated January 5, 2023, the respondents are directed to take steps to ensure the preservation of data which is Exchange Data Record (EDR), IP Data Record (IPDR) and dump data etc pertaining to the mobile numbers mentioned in order dated January 5, 2023.”