October 27, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan police can take possession of mobile phones and inspect their contents when the devices are relevant to a criminal investigation, provided the necessary legal procedures are followed, Police Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) F. U. Wootler has said.
Clarifying the circumstances under which officers may access information stored on personal devices, ASP Wootler explained that such action must be supported by information connected to an investigation and carried out within the limits of the law.
He said that where a mobile phone is considered relevant to a suspected offence, investigators may take custody of the device and submit it to court as evidence. Further examination may then be required to retrieve information that could assist in establishing the facts of the case.
The spokesman noted that these procedures can involve specialist technical analysis, particularly when investigators need to examine digital material held on a device. He stressed that the relevant legal requirements, including court orders where necessary, must be observed during the process.
According to ASP Wootler, police rely on provisions contained in the Police Ordinance and the Code of Criminal Procedure when taking investigative action involving mobile phones. Such examinations may be particularly important in cases involving serious criminal activity.
Mobile devices can contain information that helps investigators establish links between suspects, identify communications connected to an offence or uncover other relevant evidence. The spokesman cited crimes such as drug trafficking and the illegal distribution of firearms as examples of cases in which examining a phone could support an investigation.
He emphasised that the purpose of these measures was to prevent criminal activity, protect public safety and support the administration of justice.
However, ASP Wootler made clear that the police did not intend to inspect the personal phones of every citizen as a routine practice. Investigative action, he said, is guided by the relevance of the information to a particular case and the applicable legal framework.
He added that while officers have a responsibility to take appropriate steps to prevent and investigate serious offences, those powers must be exercised in accordance with the law.
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