Hyderabad Police Randomly Checking People’s Mobile Phone, WhatsApp Chats for ‘Ganja’: Reports

Hyderabad, October 28: The Hyderabad police have reportedly launched an operation to find people peddling or consuming ganja in the city. As part of the crackdown, according to reports, police are stopping people randomly on streets and checking their mobile phones and WhatsApp chats. A video of cops checking WhatsApp chats of commuters looking for mention of “ganja” or “drugs” also surfaced on the internet. Hyderabad Police Launches New Initiative for Women’s Safety.

Hyderabad Police Randomly Checking People’s Mobile Phone, WhatsApp Chats in Crackdown Against ‘Ganja’: Reports

Speaking to The News Minute, Gajarao Bhupal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, confirmed that police are checking WhatsApp chats of people. “Yes, I am aware that phones are being checked. However, we are not forcing anybody nor are we snatching away their phones to check. People are cooperating and no one is complaining, so I don’t think there is anything illegal,” DCP Bhupal was quoted as saying.

Video of Hyderabad Police Randomly Checking People’s Mobile Phone, WhatsApp Chats:

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Hyderabad city police will not take rest until #Ganja is completely eliminated from #Hyderabad.

A group of Police were seen stopping commuters and checking their phones to look for words such as ‘drugs’ or ‘ganja’.#HyderabadCityPolice pic.twitter.com/HpKRmYrtRc

— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy67) October 28, 2021

Asked if the people have a right to deny giving their mobile phones, DCP Bhupal replied: “The public can deny giving their phone. However, we will then have to see what legal provisions apply. So far, we have not faced any such issue. There are no specific instructions as there has not been any issue so far.” Activists have slammed the police’s move and described it as an “illegal” and “infringement of privacy”.

“The cops have no right to randomly check phones of people. If they wish to do so, they have to do it by following a procedure established by law. What they are doing is an infringement on the right to privacy and is unwarranted, illegal and unlawful,” Karam Komireddy, a Telangana High Court advocate, said. On Twitter, people asked which law permits cops to randomly check phones or chats of people.

Prior to the move, the Hyderabad police had sent details of all ganja-linked cases in the city, saying: “Hyderabad city police will not take rest until Ganja is completely eliminated from Hyderabad.”