Financial frauds top list of cyber crimes; we need tech-savvy police: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said financial frauds top the list of cyber crimes, followed by cases of threats and sexual offences, and stressed the need for police to be "technology-savvy" in tackling them.

Fadnavis was addressing a Mumbai Police event where he inaugurated the Nirbhaya Cyber Lab at D B Marg police station.

He later also virtually inaugurated various other initiatives, including the Central Region Cyber Police Station at Worli, East Cyber Police Station at Govandi, forensic vans for women victims, and interceptor and speed guns to check over-speeding of vehicles.

Now, 87 police stations in Mumbai have dedicated woman and child assistance cells which Fadnavis also inaugurated virtually.

The CM, who holds charge of the state home department, praised the city police's capabilities in tackling cyber crimes.

"The Mumbai Police started three centres for cyber security, and I will say these are centres of excellence where advanced technology has been used," he said.

"In cyber crimes, financial frauds are at the top, offences like threatening and extortion are at the second place and sexual crimes at the third spot," Fadnavis said.

It is important that these cases are solved by arresting the accused as fast as possible, he said.

In one case of cyber fraud, the victim had lost Rs 12 crore, but the Mumbai Police took action in time and saved around Rs 11.20 crore, the CM pointed out.

"We are number one in digital transactions in the world, due to which vulnerability has also increased," he said.

While people got various platforms for digital transactions, this also gave cyber criminals an opportunity to attempt to breach the (financia)l gateways, but they did not succeed, he said.

Fadnavis said criminal minds were working to execute cyber frauds, and stressed the need to create capabilities to tackle them.

He said cyber crimes will go up in future, more than street crimes. While dealing with cyber crime, "we need the force that deals with such criminals effectively," he said.

An offender in this sphere has a good understanding of the digital landscape, hence there is a need for technology savvy police, he said. "The war between them has already begun," the CM added.

"The best and most advanced technology labs are important, and I have seen the Mumbai Police's capabilities in these labs," he said.

This will help in dealing effectively with the cyber criminals, the chief minister said.

There are five cyber labs proposed in the city, Fadnavis said, expressing confidence that the facilities will help in solving cases of cyber crimes against women.

Minister State for Home Yogesh Kadam, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and other senior police officials were present at the event.