GADVASU professor travelled to Delhi, misused BIS scientist’s computer to send defamatory mails: FIR

The FIR was registered on the complaint of the cop’s wife named in the e-mails following a thorough probe by the Batala police. The probe has been shifted to Gurdaspur Police as the woman’s husband is also posted in Batala Police on a senior post.

As per the FIR, Dr Navdeep Singh first created an email ID on July 8 using the official Wifi network on GADVASU campus in Ludhiana, and then he travelled to Delhi where he had an official conference. In Delhi, he allegedly sent the defamatory bulk mails, first, on July 14, from the WiFi of the hotel where he was staying and later from the BIS headquarters. “The content was sent under the false identity of “Harinder Kumar S/o Shripal”, further indicating impersonation,” read the 11-page FIR.

“The content was sent to over 500 individuals…The accused also violated the digital and institutional trust of BIS scientist Pradeep Sharma by misusing his system under the pretext of official work,” it adds.

Ludhiana to Delhi: How it happened

According to the FIR, the woman in her complaint on July 14 alleged that some unknown persons “made malicious allegations against her” in a ” deliberate attempt to sabotage my reputation, isolate me socially and professionally”.

A probe was initiated and a request was made to Google to provide IP address details. The probe found usage of three IP addresses. The first, using which the mail ID was created, was found registered with National Knowledge Network (NKN). The NKN confirmed it was assigned to GADVASU, read the FIR.

“After creation of the said email, the accused travelled from Ludhiana to New Delhi via Vande Bharat Express train on July 13” and checked into Hotel Royal Plaza at Cannaught Place. On checking CCTV footage, it was found that a turbaned man arrived at the hotel on July 14 “with a computer keyboard in hand” and met Singh, and both of them took elevator, and went inside a room.

“During this time, as per Google response, the said email was logged in and logged out multiple times on the morning of July 14. The criminal mail was sent at 9:09 am to VC PAU, Registrar PAU and all dean/directors by accused using the internet of Hotel Royal Plaza,” adds the FIR.

How the senior scientist’s desktop at BIS was “misused”

The FIR further states that Singh reached the Food and Agriculture Division (FAD), BIS, Delhi, around 9.45 am on July 14, to attend 6th meeting of Animal Husbandry and Equipment Sectional Committee, and left at around 3.20 pm.

The FIR, while citing the statement received from BIS scientist Pradeep Sharma, states that after the meeting was over, Singh sought permission to use his office computer (desktop) for some official work. “I allowed him in good faith. Accordingly, he used my system during lunch time from approximately 1 to 2 pm and further 3 to 3.30,” the FIR quoted BIS scientist as saying.

The FIR adds: “While using the system a second time, the accused…sent the criminal mail at 3:11 pm to more than 160 persons and then again send a bulk mail with criminal contents at 3:16 pm to around 105 people.”

“The act was meticulously pre-planned, timed just before important faculty selections, and aimed at forcing the complainant out of her professional space. The facts of the case reveal a ghastly misuse of digital tools, breach of institutional integrity, impersonation, and targeted defamation against a female professional. The calculated misuse of government infrastructure (GADVASU, BIS), hotel networks, and fake identities makes this a grave cybercrime,” adds the FIR, stating that the probe was headed by Inspector Kirandeep Singh, head, cyber crime, Batala Police.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Singh’s wife Dr Achla Sharma, a senior wheat scientist in PAU, said that her husband has been framed. “Someone has misused his ID and system to send those mails,” she said.

Contacted for comments, the police officer from Batala said that neither he, nor his wife would like to comment on the matter as of now.