Owaisi questions Telangana Police's bid for cyber tools, experts cite long-standing use
Hyderabad: A move by the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) to acquire advanced digital forensics software has drawn criticism from Hyderabad MP and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who called it a violation of privacy and objected to the potential procurement from Israel. However, digital rights experts have pointed out that such tools are not new to the state's police force.
The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has initiated a procurement process to acquire a suite of advanced software tools designed to enhance its capabilities in investigating digital crimes. A limited tender was issued by Telangana Technology Services Ltd (TGTS) on August 18, 2025, inviting bids for four specific cybercrime investigation tools.
The tender document specifies four tools, including the Talk Walker Tool, Cellebrite Inseyets Tool/Software, Cyber Forensic Hub Tool/Software, and Innsight Tool/Software, among others. Cellebrite Inseyets is in the eye of the storm.According to the Cellebrite website, Inseyets is a comprehensive digital forensics suite that integrates advanced Premium extraction, next-generation UFED, PA (including Reader), Cloud, Commander, and the new Cellebrite Autonomy lab automation application.
Digital rights researcher and activist Srinivas Kodali, taking to X (formerly Twitter), provided context, noting that the Telangana police have used Cellebrite's technology for over a decade. "BRS, unfortunately, is a victim of their own making of a police state. Nobody wants reforms; everyone wants control(sic)," he posted on social media, referring to the previous state government.
Tools aim for deep device, cloud access
The technical specifications detail extensive capabilities. The required software must bypass authentication on locked iOS and Android devices, meaning it can unlock phones without knowing the password, often by repeatedly trying different combinations until it succeeds. It must also perform full file-system extraction from modern iPhones, which involves copying all data from the device for investigation.
For online data, the tools are specified to extract information from over 60 social media and cloud applications, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, and Google Drive. The software would utilize login credentials or tokens extracted from seized devices, featuring a capability to mimic the user's device to prevent triggering alerts. The software must also include media classification powered by machine learning to automatically categorize images and videos into over 35 categories, such as weapons, nudity, drugs, and suspected child sexual abuse material (CSA). Other specified features include the extraction of location history and support for decrypting WhatsApp backups from Google Drive.
Kodali clarified in another tweet that the new tender likely represents an expansion of existing capabilities, not a novel introduction. "Yes, it's scary, and it's not new. This has been happening forever," he stated, adding that the normalization of such tools is a deeper issue.
In reply Owaisi stated that such surveillance software violates the fundamental right to privacy. "The Government of Telangana should not buy software from the genocidal Israeli regime," he said. He argued that state surveillance should only be conducted under a specific statute and with judicial oversight, as established by the Supreme Court's Puttaswamy judgment. "It’s worse that the software is an Israeli one," he added.
Kodali emphasized that the core problem is a lack of transparency. "What we need more than anything is more transparency. It can start with Telangana Police disclosing the Telangana Police Manual," Kodali said, suggesting that the legal framework governing police procedures should be made public to enable proper scrutiny.
The tender document states that the tools are intended to enhance evidence handling through AI-driven automation. The debate highlights ongoing tensions between investigative needs and concerns about privacy.
