Taking note of the low rate of arrests (1%), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started a pilot project to help states investigate cybercrimes. According to a senior ministry official, the Cyber Investigation Assistance Request (CIAR) has been initiated, allowing states probing cybercrime to seek assistance from the central government.
Sources indicate that the state police are facing challenges with cybercrime cases. “At times, it involves figuring out whom to approach for help while reaching out to private companies, technical support, etc. Now, teams have been established to assist states. These teams will consist of cyber experts, legal aides and I4C officials who will support the cybercrime cell of state police if they need any assistance,” a senior government official said.
“The central government will not approach states directly, as law and order and investigations are state subjects. However, states can contact the CIAR to request assistance,” a senior MHA official said.
The CIAR has not been officially inaugurated, as the ministry wants to evaluate this new step aimed at speeding up and improving the quality of cybercrime investigations. The ministry has also planned other initiatives to enhance the investigation of cybercrime. The first set of cyber commandos has been cleared to assist in this area.
3.1 MILLION COMPLAINTS IN 4 YEARS
The National Cyber Crime Portal (NCRP) has received 3.1 million complaints related to cyber fraud from 2020 to February 2024.
According to an official communication from the central government, the low number of arrests in cyber frauds is a major concern. Government data indicates that total arrests in cyber fraud cases account for less than 1% of the cases registered by law enforcement agencies. Official data shows that over 66,000 cases related to cyber fraud have been registered, but only about 500 arrests have been made this year.
Cyber frauds across India over the past three years have resulted in public losses comparable to the annual budgets of some states. A recent government assessment estimated that losses to the Indian public from cyber frauds in the past three years amount to Rs 25,000 crore, which is double the annual budget of Sikkim.
According to sources, a high-level meeting was held at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), where officials from both MeitY and the MHA expressed concerns to various social media intermediaries such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Google.
During the meeting, it was assessed that Rs 25,000 crore had been lost in cyber frauds over the past three years. Last year alone, an average of 27 FIRs related to cyber frauds were registered daily, a figure significantly lower than the actual number of cyber fraud complaints. Data also reveals that from January 2024 to June 2024, the central cyber fraud agency received 709 complaints in which victims lost more than Rs 1 crore, totalling Rs 1,421 crore in losses.
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