Cops close to cracking online harassment case

KOLKATA: Police on Saturday said they were closer to unmasking the main accused in the harassment case, in which two Jadavpur women had been targeted.



The announcement came a day after police arrested one Gaurav Verma for allegedly trying to defame the women and their family — both online and offline. Both victims told TOI they are sure that someone very close to them was involved in leaking the details.

“We have taken the accused in police remand till December 19. We believe that there are at least two others involved. We shall crack the case soon,” a source in the

cybercrime

cell of Kolkata Police said.

“Very few have access to five of our mobile numbers, one of which has only WhatsApp connection. Specific details, like the notices that we put up against the harassment and even the colour of our windows (that we changed), got leaked. Someone who stays close to our house has to be involved. It is comforting that the police are closer to the mastermind because we have never come across any person named Gaurav Verma,” one of the victims said.

The two women, sistersin-law, one aged 27 and another 40, had to face immense harassment when their names and morphed photographs, along with personal details like address, phone numbers, began to be uploaded across groups and on social media. The details were accompanied by posts claiming that they offered sexual favours for money.

Sources in the cybercrime cell said the accused had mentioned the woman. “We need to ascertain if she is indeed involved and if so, in what capacity. We also need to know if Verma was contracted for this job,” an officer said.

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