FSL Server Room Completely Burnt, No Data Backup

Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy today revealed that the server room at the State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) was completely destroyed in the recent fire accident, raising concerns over a potential loss of digital data.

He said that the most worrying aspect was the absence of a backup system for the servers.

Addressing media queries, the DGP said that technical experts were attempting to retrieve data from the damaged servers, while a detailed investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire. He acknowledged that some information could be at risk due to the lack of backups.

Responding to speculation that evidence in sensitive cases had been destroyed, Reddy dismissed the claims as propaganda. He said that evidence related to major cases, including the 2015 ACB "vote-for-note" case, had already been submitted to courts in 2021 and was not affected by the incident. Regarding the phone-tapping case, he said that investigations had been completed and reports submitted to higher authorities.

The DGP also commented on the alleged suicide of Maktal BJP candidate Erukali Mahadevappa, and said that a case has been registered and no suicide note was found. He assured the media of an impartial investigation.

Speaking about the municipal elections, he announced extensive security arrangements across Telangana on February 11. As per reports, nearly 3,000 additional personnel have been deployed, 100% webcasting has been arranged at polling stations, and strict enforcement measures are in place. Authorities have seized 1,183 licensed weapons, bound over 4,318 individuals, executed 398 non-bailable warrants, and set up multiple inter-State check posts. So far, Rs 3.09 crore has been seized and 142 cases have been registered for election code violations.