How to Type a Call Detail Record for Criminal Evidence

What a Call Detail Record Contains

A Call Detail Record is a data log generated by telecom networks that captures every call, SMS, and data session made from or received by a particular mobile number. In India, operators such as Airtel, Jio, Vi, and BSNL maintain these logs for compliance with the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. A typical CDR includes the following fields:

Field	What It Shows
Calling Number	The number of the person who initiated the call
Called Number	The number dialled or recipient MSISDN
Call Type	Local, STD, ISD, roaming-in, roaming-out, or SMS
Call Date & Time	Start time and date of the call or session
Duration (seconds)	Total talk time or session length
IMEI Number	Unique handset identifier of the calling device
Cell ID / Tower Location	Latitude, longitude, or tower code indicating the caller’s approximate location
Roaming Status	Whether the subscriber was on home network or roaming
Timestamp	Server-side time stamp for record generation

Fields like tower location codes can vary across telecom circles; records from Jharkhand or Bihar circles often include city abbreviations like Hazaribagh or Ranchi, while Tamil Nadu circle records from Vellore may use different tower naming conventions.

Why Lawyers Need a Typed CDR in Criminal Cases

In criminal proceedings, advocates routinely rely on CDR data to establish or challenge timelines, alibis, and communication patterns. However, the original CDR provided by the telecom operator is often a printout of a computer-generated file or a scanned PDF that cannot be easily searched, annotated, or copied into an annexure. A typed copy converts that static record into an editable DOCX, allowing the legal team to highlight relevant entries, prepare a clean annexure for a charge sheet or defence application, and share it with investigators without risking damage to the original. From our experience processing similar telecom records for legal professionals, we have seen how a well‑structured typeset saves hours during case preparation. It is not a substitute for the original evidence but serves as a working tool that helps advocates efficiently analyse call logs and tower location data.

AI Typing vs. a Certified CDR: What’s Acceptable in Court?

Lekhak’s self‑serve AI typing gives you an accurate, instantly searchable DOCX from an image‑based CDR in minutes. That typed file, however, is not a certified evidential document. For a CDR to be admissible in an Indian court, the original electronic record must be accompanied by a certificate under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, signed by a responsible officer of the telecom company. The typed DOCX is a drafting and review aid; advocates use it to prepare briefs, analyse call patterns, and build arguments. It does not carry any evidentiary value on its own. The original CDR with the Section 65B certificate from the operator remains the only document the court will accept as proof. This distinction matters: the AI tool accelerates prep work, but the legal path to admission runs exclusively through the telecom provider’s official records.

What Lekhak’s Typing Service Delivers

When you upload a scanned or image‑based Call Detail Record, Lekhak’s AI typing pipeline extracts every column, call type, duration, IMEI, cell tower location, roaming flags, and reproduces them as a clean, searchable DOCX. The output preserves the original table layout, tower codes, and timestamps, and flags any ambiguous characters for quick manual review. Because the process is fully automated and runs on‑demand, you receive the typed file in minutes, not days. From past translations of similar telecom records, we’ve observed that machine‑typing accuracy on legible CDRs is high, and the formatting closely mirrors the source document’s structure. There is no human transcriber in the loop for the self‑serve product; the instant output is an AI‑generated draft ready for your use.

How to try the free trial

New accounts receive 250 free credits without a credit card, enough to type several CDR pages. Visit lekhak.app, upload your CDR scan, select “Typing” as the job type, choose English, and download the DOCX. For current usage rates, see lekhak.app/pricing.

How to Get a Duplicate CDR from Your Telecom Operator

If you do not have the original CDR, you can obtain an official copy from the telecom operator through two recognised routes. The first is a Right to Information (RTI) application filed with the Central Public Information Officer of the telecom service provider. The RTI route works when the applicant is the subscriber or has authorisation. The second is an advocate‑assisted court order directing the operator to produce the CDR for a specific period; this is the standard method in ongoing criminal investigations or trials. Operators process such requests according to the circle‑specific nodal officer procedure, and the response may arrive as a sealed printout. Always request the record in an electronically generated format where possible, as it will be the original that supports the Section 65B certificate.

Regional Differences in CDR Formats (Airtel, Bihar, Jharkhand, Vellore)

Telecom circles in India structure CDR output files differently. Airtel records from the Jharkhand circle, for example, often print tower location codes as short city abbreviations (Hazaribagh or Ranchi appear as the location identifier) and may tag roaming‑in calls with a distinct prefix. Records from the Bihar circle sometimes include a separate column for previous location, while Vi and BSNL outputs can place the IMEI field before the partner city column. In Vellore, which falls under the Tamil Nadu circle, the tower cell ID format may use a numerical code rather than a city name, and the SMS log rows frequently omit the IMEI. Understanding these variations helps during review: a typed CDR should preserve exactly what appears in the source, including region‑specific codes, rather than standardising them.

Electronic Evidence Under Indian Law: Section 65B and the IT Act

The legal admissibility of telecom records in Indian courts is governed by a defined statutory framework. Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, read with the Information Technology Act, 2000, lays down that a computer output, and a CDR is treated as such, is admissible only if accompanied by a certificate identifying the electronic record, describing the manner of its production, and satisfying the conditions in the section. The certificate must be signed by a person occupying a responsible official position in relation to the operation of the relevant device, typically an officer of the telecom company. The Supreme Court of India has reinforced these requirements in several decisions, making it clear that oral testimony alone is insufficient without the Section 65B certificate. Practitioners should always present the original CDR with the certificate, not a typed copy, when tendering it as evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Call Detail Record?

A Call Detail Record is the technical log that a telecom network creates for each call, SMS, or data session. It records calling and called numbers, timestamp, call duration, IMEI, cell tower location, and roaming status. Indian operators generate it under the licensing conditions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.

Is the typed CDR from Lekhak admissible as evidence in court?

No. The typed DOCX is a machine‑generated copy for drafting and analysis. Courts require the original electronic record with a certificate under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, signed by a telecom officer, to admit a CDR as evidence. The typed file has no standalone evidentiary value.

Can I get a certified CDR copy through Lekhak?

Lekhak does not issue or procure certified CDR copies. The official copy must come from the telecom operator, either through an RTI application or a court order. Lekhak’s typing service only converts images of existing records into editable text; it cannot replace the certification chain.

How do I request a duplicate CDR from Airtel or Jio?

You can file an RTI application with the CPIO of the operator’s registered office, clearly mentioning the mobile number, the period required, and your subscriber details. In a criminal case, your advocate can move the court for a production order directing the operator to supply the CDR directly to the court or investigation officer.

What is a Section 65B certificate?

It is a signed statement from a responsible official of the telecom company that certifies the CDR is an accurate computer output produced in the ordinary course of business, meeting the conditions laid down in Section 65B. Without this certificate, the CDR cannot be treated as evidence under Indian law.

How accurate is Lekhak’s AI typing for CDR tower location codes?

The AI preserves tower location codes exactly as they appear in the source scan, whether a city abbreviation like Hazaribagh, a numerical cell ID, or a roaming‑in flag. In documents we’ve processed, legible fields are transcribed with high fidelity, and the platform highlights uncertain characters for your review.

Can I try CDR typing for free?

Yes. New users get 250 free credits immediately after signing up, without a credit card. Select “Typing” as the job type, upload your CDR image, and download the typed DOCX. This lets you test the quality and turnaround before committing any payment.

What file types does Lekhak accept for CDR typing?

You can upload scanned PDFs, unsearchable PDFs, and image files in JPG, PNG, or WebP formats. The system cannot process Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint files, or video. Make sure the CDR scan is clear and oriented correctly for best results.

How quickly does the typed CDR arrive?

The typing job runs in minutes. Once you submit the file, the AI pipeline extracts the table layout and populates the DOCX without human intervention. You can download the output as soon as processing finishes; there is no queue or delivery window.

Is my uploaded CDR data secure?

Lekhak processes files through an encrypted pipeline and does not use your documents to train public AI models. Access to uploaded scans is limited to the processing system, and completed jobs are automatically purged after a retention window. Review the privacy policy on the website for full details.