Will act with alacrity on cyber fraud cases: Police assure Bombay HC

Mumbai: The city police have assured the Bombay High Court that they would act with alacrity on cyber fraud complaints and sensitise all police officials for prompt action and registration of FIR whenever such complaints are filed.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale in the order passed on April 15 noted that cyber fraud cases were on the rise and senior citizens were more and more falling victim to such fraudsters.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a city-based woman, claiming she was a victim of cyber fraud, and when she tried to report the same to the local police, they failed to act promptly.

As per the plea, the woman had approached the police station concerned and informed the security personnel about the cyber fraud but they did not register FIR, claiming they do not have the manpower or the requisite expertise to deal with cyber fraud cases.

The woman in her petition said due to non-registration of FIR and prompt action, she lost Rs 45 lakh. By the time the police acted, only Rs 2 lakh could be saved, the plea claimed.

On April 15, Joint Commissioner of Police (crime department) Lakhami Guatam appeared before HC and submitted that presently he is supervising five cyber police stations in the city.

Gautam said cyber frauds of below Rs 10 lakh are investigated by local police stations, while those above that amount are probed by cyber police stations.

He assured the court that he would take steps to sensitise the police dealing with cyber fraud with respect to prompt recording and registration of offences whenever such cases are reported.

The HC said, “Gautam also assures that steps would be taken to educate people with respect to cyber frauds. He also assures that the police dealing with cyber frauds will act with alacrity whenever such cases are reported and steps will be taken to ensure that the monies that are transferred are retrieved/frozen at the earliest." The petitioner’s advocate pointed out to the court about the formation of a corporation – Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation – by the state government to address issues of cyber frauds.

The court also directed the Additional Director General of Police (Maharashtra Cyber) to appear before it via video conference on April 22 to inform the bench on formation of the Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation.