Lucknow: Police sent the smartphone belonging to young scientist Rahul Singh for forensic examination to recover crucial digital evidence related to circumstances leading to his death.Vibhuti Khand police registered FIR for abetment to suicide against four people on the complaint of Rahul’s brother, who alleged that sustained harassment, threats and a financial dispute drove the scientist to take the extreme step. The FIR names Chandrabhushan Mishra, a businessman from Basti residing in Noida, his sons Tapish and Udit Mishra and Taarini under charges of abetment to suicide.Forensic experts will examine Rahul’s phone for call records, WhatsApp chats, emails, text messages, voice recordings, financial transactions, cloud data, deleted files and other digital evidence to establish sequence of events preceding his death. Investigators will look for any communications relating to financial dispute, complaints made by Rahul to police officers and any material indicating intimidation or coercion.According to complaint filed by Rahul’s brother Rohit Singh, the scientist repeatedly approached senior govt and police officials alleging Chandrabhushan Mishra exerted pressure on him, betrayed his trust in connection with a drone project and had issued repeated threats. Rahul had also reportedly expressed concerns about his safety and informed authorities that he possessed digital evidence to support his allegations.Police are examining Rahul’s complaint submitted to ADG, Gorakhpur, on Jun 12. The family alleged that a day after the complaint was filed, FIR was registered against Rahul at Nagar police station in Basti on Chandrabhushan Mishra’s complaint, which they claim, aggravated his mental distress.Investigators will correlate data from Rahul’s phone with call detail records, WhatsApp conversations, bank transactions, emails and electronic devices seized. Police are verifying CCTV footage and entry-exit records from the hotel, where Rahul stayed and died and recording statements of hotel staff.The family urged investigators to preserve all digital evidence, conduct comprehensive forensic examination of Rahul’s electronic devices and examine role of all individuals connected to the case and demanded constitution of SIT.Police said Rahul’s heart and viscera have been preserved and exact cause of death will be determined by forensic laboratory report.
