Focus: GS-III Internal Security Challenges
Why in news?
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to all States to examine and register FIRs based on the complaints received on National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
Details
- As per data available with the Ministry, only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are converted into First Information Reports (FIRs).
- Through the portal, MHA also aims to raise a group of “cybercrime volunteers” to flag “unlawful content” on the Internet.
- The unlawful content is categorised as content against the sovereignty and integrity of India, against defence of India, against security of the State, against friendly relations with foreign States, content aimed at disturbing public order, disturbing communal harmony and child sex abuse material.
Low conversion
- Since its launch last year, the portal has received over 2 lakh complaints, but FIRs have been registered only in 5,000 cases.
- A senior government official said that on an average around 1,000 cybercrimes complaints from across the country are received. The rate of conversion of complaints to FIRs is very low.
- According to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of registered cybercrimes increased by 63.5% in the year 2019 compared to the previous year.
- A total of 44,546 cases were registered under cybercrimes compared to 27,248 cases in 2018.
- In 2019, 60.4% of cybercrime cases registered were for the motive of fraud followed by sexual exploitation with 5.1% and causing disrepute with 4.2%.
- On receiving the complaint, the designated Police Officer after verifying the matter will report to concerned bank and financial intermediary or payment wallet, etc., for blocking the money involved in the cyber fraud.
-Source: The Hindu
