Police Restricts Access To Call Detail Records

To restrict access to call detail records and ensure a transparent process of accessing personal information, the Delhi Police has procured a biometric fingerprint device, which will be used only by authorized personnel in the department.The decision to restrict access was taken keeping in mind the incident where BJP leader Arun Jaitley's records were illegally accessed by a constable.

The device — a fingerprint computer security system — will be attached to a computer and allow only authorized personnel to access the records.An order, issued two days ago, stated that the device will be installed in all districts of Delhi, as well as in the Crime Branch and the Special Cell units of the Delhi Police.

At the district level, only the Deputy Commissioners of Police will be authorized to use the device, police said.Sources said at the district level, the fingerprint of only the corresponding DCP will be recognized as the first layer of security to access the computer. For the machines in Crime Branch and Special Cell units, a few designated Assistant Commissioners of Police, apart from the DCP, will have authorization to use the device.

Explaining how the device works, a senior police officer said, "If an inspector requires access to the CDR of a person, he will first have to put in a request, explaining why he needs access to the records and how it will help in investigation.

"The request will be authorized by the district DCP. Once authorized, the DCP alone will place his finger on the device and authorize access to the computer. Subsequently, the computer will generate the username and password after which the data can be accessed".

Police said the personnel seeking information will also have to submit all the cellphone numbers, whose details are being sought. After the request is authorized by the DCP, only those numbers will be forwarded to the service provider. "The device will ensure that only the DCP puts in the request. As such, if a request comes from any other system, the service provider will have information on who else is accessing the CDR. This way, the person accessing the CDR (illegally) can be easily identified and caught," a senior police officer said.Sources said records of access requests and their details will be maintained in a register."After the call record details are accessed, a report will have to be prepared mentioning the time the request was made, the time the data was received, and the IP address from where the request was sent, among other details," the officer said.