A VPN on the laptop does not erase mens rea.
It complicates proof.
“I was on a VPN, so you can’t prove it” is not a magic shield. Intent, access, device, timing, and other digital traces still matter. Anonymity tools can scramble the path. They do not automatically delete the mental element the law asks about — or every other way the case can be proved.
Harder to attribute.
Not impossible to prosecute.
Educational note. This Insight is for awareness relating to cyber law and digital procedure. It is not legal advice and does not create an advocate–client relationship. Series: Digital disputes, as Indian courts actually see them.