In Chennai City, a total of 1,679 cases relating to cybercrime have been reported between January and August 2024. Photo Credit: REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE
Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner A.Arun has issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) to be adopted by investigating officers (IOs) of cyber crimes for return of money lost by victims. It also provides guidelines to ensure that cyber crimes are reported promptly, and steps are taken to save the money of the victims of financial cyber crimes as soon as possible.
In Chennai City, between January and August 2024, a total of 1,679 cases relating to cyber crimes have been reported, with 1,589 of them being financial cyber crimes, involving a loss of around ₹189 crore in various scams, including online share trading, Digital Arrest – FedEx courier/ TRAI scam, online part-time job scam, online matrimonial fraud, gift and EB bill scams.
A. Arun, Commissioner of Police, Chennai | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
In response to the increasing incidents of financial cyber crimes, the Commissioner has issued the SOP for investigating officers dealing with online financial frauds.
The first step to be carried out by any victim of a financial cyber crime is to register the crime on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) through the cyber-crime helpline 1930 or website www.cybercrime.gov.in. within 24 hours of occurrence. An acknowledgment number of the NCRP sets in progress, the process of freezing the suspicious bank account involved in the crime and therefore, it is of utmost importance for a victim of cyber crime to register in the NCRP, the SOP said.
“Last July, the High Court of Madras, taking into account the increasing number of cyber frauds, has issued a circular instructing all judicial officers that the recovery process of money lost in financial cyber crimes can be started based on the complaint registered on the NCRP. followed by a report submitted by the cyber crime police without insisting on FIR,” said a senior officer of Cyber Crime.
The circular of the High Court said, “Once the complaint gets registered on the portal, the Cyber Crime Police will immediately initiate the process of blocking the suspect bank account under Section 108 of BNSS (Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita) and later for the amount cheated. to be released. However, when the complainant approaches the trial court for the release of the said cheated amount from the account which had been blocked, the trial courts insist on registration of FIRs which consumes time and delays the release of money. Therefore, the judicial magistrates are directed not to insist on separate FIRs being registered.”
Following the circular of the High Court, the SOP issued by Mr. Arun said victims who have lost money in cyber crime can register on the NCRP and based on the NCRP acknowledgment and the cyber police report, victims can file a petition under section 503 BNSS in their jurisdictional court to claim the amount frozen in the suspect bank account. without waiting for an FIR to be registered.
The Commissioner also cautioned the public to be careful about high profit investment advertisements, fake investment apps and websites and advised the people not to transfer money into unknown bank accounts. Public are requested to contact the Cyber Crime Helpline Number 1930 or register a complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in in case of any cyber-related offences.
Published – September 14, 2024 09:07 pm IST