  We perform a data-driven analysis of new physics (NP) effects in exclusive $b
\to s \ell^+\ell^-$ decays in a model-independent effective theory approach
with dimension six operators considering scalar, pseudo-scalar, vector and
axial-vector operators with the corresponding Wilson coefficients (WC) taken to
be complex. The analysis has been done with the most recent data while
comparing the outcome with that from the relatively old data-set. We find that
a left-handed quark current with vector muon coupling is the only one-operator
$(\mathcal{O}_9)$ scenario that can explain the data in both the cases with
real and complex WC with a large non-zero imaginary contribution. We
simultaneously apply model selection tools like cross-validation and
information-theoretic approach like Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to find
out the operator or sets of operators that can best explain the available data
in this channel. The $\mathcal{O}_9$ with complex WC is the only one-operator
scenario which survives the test. However, there are a few two and
three-operator scenarios (with real or complex WCs) which survive the test, and
the operator $\mathcal{O}_9$ is common among them.
