Cyber crime cases rising rapidly in India, stronger coordination needed: Gauhati HC judge

Aizawl, March 20 (IANS) Cyber crime is rapidly increasing in India, with more than 86,000 cases registered in 2023, Gauhati High Court Judge Justice Nelson Sailo said here on Friday.

Addressing a one-day training programme on cyber crime, Justice Sailo noted that in 2017, the Supreme Court recognised the “Right to Privacy” as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

He said that following this landmark development, Parliament enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) in 2023 to safeguard citizens’ data rights and strengthen privacy protections in the digital era.

Highlighting the situation in Mizoram, the judge said that 361 cyber crime cases were recorded in the state between 2022 and 2026, with five cases already registered up to March this year.

He added that the most common offences include financial fraud, social media impersonation, and online sexual harassment.

Justice Sailo also advised the public to adopt precautionary measures such as using antivirus software, avoiding opening or downloading unknown files, and promptly reporting suspicious activities to the police.

The training programme was held at the Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench Conference Hall and was jointly organised by the Mizoram State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) and Mizoram Police.

Another High Court judge Justice Michael Zothankhuma, in his address, shared his personal experience as a victim of cyber crime and appreciated the initiative of organising such a relevant training session.

He said that in today’s rapidly evolving and interconnected technological landscape, cyber crime has emerged as a global threat, transcending geographical boundaries.

He noted that laws often take time to adapt to technological advancements, creating gaps between emerging crimes and the legal frameworks designed to address them.

To bridge this gap and effectively combat cyber crime, he emphasised the need for close cooperation among law enforcement agencies, the police, and the judiciary.

Justice Zothankhuma also stressed that public awareness is the first line of defence against cyber crime and encouraged participants to use the knowledge gained from the training to educate society.

Mizoram Director General of Police Sharad Agarwal also addressed the gathering and said that the rapid rise in cyber crime has posed significant challenges to law enforcement agencies.

He highlighted that modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), are increasingly being misused for phishing attacks, creating deepfake images and videos, stealing passwords, and spreading malware.

To tackle such threats, Mizoram Police has established a Technical Support Cell and is deploying digital forensic tools to ensure secure analysis of data.

District and Sessions Judge Helen Dawngliani, in her speech, has elaborated on various forms of cyber crime.

She noted that while technological advancements have improved convenience in daily life, they have also expanded opportunities for criminal activities.

She emphasised that preserving the rule of law in the digital domain requires stronger collaboration between the police and the judiciary.

Following the inaugural session, a series of technical sessions were conducted as part of the training programme.

The event was attended by officials from multiple departments, including Home, Excise and Narcotics, Finance, and others.

–IANS

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