Bengaluru cybercrime tally more than top 10 cities' total

According to the data, Bengaluru reported a whopping 17,631 cybercrime cases. This is almost double (77.37%) the cases recorded in 2022 (9,940). In 2021, the city reported 6,423 cases.

Bengaluru: Bengaluru, called the Silicon Valley of India, has remained the metropolitan city with the largest number of cybercrime cases in 2023. The cases recorded by the city in a single year are more than those in the next 10 cities combined.

These figures were made public on Monday by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) which released its annual Crime in India report for 2023. 

According to the data, Bengaluru reported a whopping 17,631 cybercrime cases. This is almost double (77.37 per cent) the cases recorded in 2022 (9,940). In 2021, the city reported 6,423 cases.

With Bengaluru accounting for 54 per cent of all cybercrime cases, the next 10 cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Lucknow, had a total of 14,494 cases.

The rate of filing chargesheets by cybercrime investigators remained an abysmal 18.1 per cent, indicating that tracing cybercrimes was a daunting task. Of the total cases, 17,122 were booked under sections related to computer-related offences, the report said, of which cheating by impersonation was 16,116 cases. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 21,889 cases in 2023 — the most across the country — with a chargesheeting rate of 18.1 per cent. Fraud remained the major motive with 18,602 cases.

The southern state was followed by its neighbour, Telangana, with 18,236 cases and Uttar Pradesh with 10,794 cases. Telangana and UP had chargesheeting rates of 20.9 per cent and 45.6 per cent respectively. 

However, the crime rate was higher in Telangana at 47.8 per cent compared to Karnataka’s 32.3 per cent, indicating that the former had more cases per capita.

Until 2023, the country saw traditional forms of cybercrimes like impersonation, OTP fraud, card skimming, etc.

But 2023 marked a turning point and fundamentally altered the landscape of cybercrimes and their investigations across India, senior police officers opined. 

“The year 2023 was when several complex modus operandi emerged. Many such cases, especially digital arrest, were first reported in Bengaluru and then spread to different parts of the country, including Mumbai and Delhi,” a senior cybercrime investigator in Bengaluru told DH. 

“At the same time, investigators also found complex layering of proceeds of crime by using bank accounts as mules to launder money. Initially, it was difficult for the officers to peel through the layers as responses from intermediaries like banks used to be delayed. Hence, the low chargesheeting rate. The situation across Karnataka has improved now with better training and better-equipped and technically sound officers posted at cybercrime police stations,” he added. 

Another officer attributed the rise in cases to more awareness and better reporting.

“Cases seem to be high as their reporting has increased. There is an increased awareness about cybercrimes, and people are coming forward with complaints. We still want to reiterate to the public to inform the police as soon as one falls prey to cybercrimes and dial 1930, the national helpline, as time is of the essence to recover the money,” the officer added.