5.8 Lakh SIM Cards, 1,08,000 IMEIs Blocked: Centre On Efforts To Tackle Cybercrimes
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, informed the Parliament today about the comprehensive steps taken by the Central Government to tackle cybercrimes. Cybercrime prevention and investigation primarily fall under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories (UTs), with the Central Government providing supplementary support through advisories and financial assistance. This collaborative approach aims to bolster the capabilities of State and UT Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in combating cyber threats effectively.
The minister was responding to questions asked by Rajya Sabha member Dr Dinesh Sharma.
A significant step in this initiative is the establishment of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which serves as the central body coordinating efforts against cybercrime nationwide. Under the I4C framework, seven Joint Cyber Coordination Teams (JCCTs) have been set up in key regions identified as cybercrime hotspots, including Mewat, Jamtara, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Vishakhapatnam, and Guwahati. These teams enhance coordination among various LEAs to address multi-jurisdictional cybercrime issues. Additionally, workshops for JCCTs have been conducted across the country to further streamline these efforts.
The National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (Investigation), part of I4C, offers state-of-the-art forensic services to support cybercrime investigations. This facility has provided crucial assistance in around 10,200 cases, involving mobile forensics, memory forensics, and Call Data Record (CDR) analysis. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, another key component of I4C, enables the public to report cybercrime incidents, particularly those targeting women and children. Reports submitted through this portal are processed by the respective State/UT LEAs in accordance with legal provisions.
Financial fraud is another critical area addressed by the I4C. The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System allows for the immediate reporting of financial frauds, helping to prevent the fraudulent transfer of funds. This system has successfully saved over Rs. 2400 crore in more than 7.6 lakh complaints. A dedicated toll-free helpline, 1930, has been established to assist citizens in lodging online cyber fraud complaints.
Capacity building is also a major focus of the Central Government’s efforts. The CyTrain portal offers Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to police and judicial officers, covering various aspects of cybercrime investigation, forensics, and prosecution. So far, over 96,288 police officers have registered, and more than 70,992 certificates have been issued. The government has also taken significant steps in cyber hygiene training, with 6,800 officials and over 35,000 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets trained to date.
Furthermore, the Central Government has blocked more than 5.8 lakh SIM cards and 1,08,000 IMEIs, as reported by police authorities, to curb cybercrime activities. Financial assistance amounting to Rs. 131.60 crores has been provided to States/UTs under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) scheme. This funding supports the establishment of cyber forensic-cum-training laboratories and the hiring of junior cyber consultants. Additionally, over 24,600 LEA personnel, judicial officers, and prosecutors have received training on cybercrime awareness, investigation, and forensics.
To enhance forensic capabilities, a National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (Evidence) has been established in Hyderabad, which aids in preserving and analyzing digital evidence in compliance with the IT Act and Evidence Act. The government has also undertaken various initiatives to spread cybercrime awareness among the public. These include disseminating messages through SMS, social media campaigns, organizing Cyber Safety and Security Awareness weeks, and publishing educational handbooks for adolescents and students. The States/UTs have been encouraged to participate actively in these awareness campaigns to create mass awareness about cyber safety.
