Baba Siddique Murder Case: Criminals Used Snapchat to Evade Police Detection – Here’s Why – India News

In a recent investigation into the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the Mumbai Police has uncovered a link with social media platforms, particularly Snapchat. Police found photos of Baba Siddique and his son Zeeshan on the Snapchat accounts of three accused in the case. This discovery has prompted law enforcement to investigate how criminal gangs like the Bishnoi gang use Snapchat and other social media platforms to plan and communicate while avoiding detection.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is an instant messaging app known for its ephemerality. Users can send photos and messages called “snaps” that disappear after a short period of time, usually once viewed by the recipient. This feature makes it a popular app, especially among younger generations. However, the disappearance of messages has also made it attractive to criminal groups who want to avoid leaving behind digital evidence.

Why do criminal gangs use Snapchat?

According to a senior Mumbai police official, the Bishnoi gang uses Snapchat because of its self-deleting messages and photos, which give gang members a sense of security. Unlike traditional messaging platforms, the disappearance of Snapchat content means that even if police seize a suspect’s phone, recovering messages is a challenge, reports Indian Express.

In the Baba Siddique case, although much of the data had been deleted, the police managed to recover some images that the shooter had saved. These stored images played a crucial role in their investigation and provided the police with clues that they would have otherwise missed.

Additionally, police mentioned that requesting data from platforms like Snapchat that are based in the US can be a lengthy process. This delay increases the app’s appeal to criminal gangs looking to avoid detection.

While Snapchat is currently popular for its disappearing messages, it’s not the first app that gangs have used to evade authorities. In the past, apps like Telegram and Signal, known for their encryption and privacy features, have been popular with criminal groups. These apps allowed gang members to communicate securely without fear of being intercepted by law enforcement.

How gangs evade the police on social media

The Bishnoi gang has in the past used social media to claim responsibility for their crimes while avoiding detection. In the Baba Siddique case, a gang member named Shubham Lonkar posted on Facebook claiming responsibility for the murder but quickly deleted the post. However, a screenshot of the post was shared across various platforms, making it nearly impossible for police to trace the IP address of the original post.

Additionally, the gang is known to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to conceal their online activities and avoid prosecution by law enforcement. As gangs become more technologically savvy, they are evolving their methods to stay one step ahead of police efforts to track their digital footprints.

The use of social media platforms such as Snapchat by criminal gangs poses a significant challenge to law enforcement. As messaging, encrypted communications and VPNs disappear, these gangs are becoming increasingly difficult to track down. As police continue to adapt to these new technologies, the battle between law enforcement and tech-savvy criminal organizations is far from over.