The West Bengal Police has launched a high-stakes probe after the state’s cyber crime investigation data centre was reportedly compromised, raising national concerns about data integrity, internal sabotage, and vendor accountability in critical law enforcement infrastructure.
Ransomware or Sabotage? Cybercrime Wing Data Centre Hit
In a serious breach of law enforcement infrastructure, the Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of West Bengal Police discovered its state-run confidential data centre had been compromised on July 28. The data centre, crucial to ongoing cyber crime investigations across the state, suffered a full system disruption, triggering immediate panic among cybersecurity officials and prompting a criminal investigation.
Initially, officials of the private company managing the data centre verbally claimed that a ransomware attack had encrypted the entire data and storage system, even presenting what appeared to be a ransom note during preliminary visual checks.
However, CCW officials are not convinced. They suspect deliberate sabotage by the vendor itself, especially since the company allegedly refused to hand over admin credentials and access to the state’s central systems during a high-level meeting just two days before the breach.
A Web of Delays, Denials, and Data Loss
The data centre in question was contracted through an e-tender floated by Webel Technology Ltd in December 2023. The chosen vendor was tasked with installing, managing, and securing sensitive systems under West Bengal Police’s State Grid Project. The entire system including servers, storage, and licensed investigative tools—was commissioned by September 30, 2024.
Among its critical functionalities, the centre runs the CAT C5 application, which filters VoIP calls and is used extensively for app-to-app communication tracking and digital forensics.
Despite repeated requests and formal reminders to transfer administrative control, the vendor allegedly stalled. A crucial meeting on July 25, led by the DG & IGP Cyber Crime Wing, ended with no resolution. Shockingly, by July 27, VPN connectivity across multiple districts failed, and by July 28, the entire CCW system was down.
The FIR filed with Bidhannagar Cyber Crime PS squarely accuses the vendor of possible criminal intent, stating that “exclusive remote access was maintained by the private company” and could have been used to lock or sabotage the system under the guise of a ransomware attack.
Internal Accountability in Question as Top Officers Face Scrutiny
Beyond the vendor, internal complicity is now under the scanner. Sources confirm that multiple senior officers have been questioned about their roles in the system access delay and breach. Some may face action under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and breach of trust, along with provisions under the IT Act.
The case has exposed deep-rooted lapses in data governance, including poor vetting of vendors, lack of proper handover protocols, and inadequate checks on exclusive access to high-sensitivity infrastructure.
A senior officer familiar with the investigation admitted: “This was not just a technical failure. It’s a systemic breakdown. The fact that sabotage is even being considered shows how critical oversight was missing.”