Pramesh S Jain
Concern over delays in reporting and registering cybercrime cases at police stations across Karnataka, resulting in the loss of the crucial “golden hour” for taking immediate action to prevent financial losses,has prompted the State Police to order the immediate transfer of such cases to specialised Cyber Crime Police Stations after registration of FIRs.
In a circular dated September 11,Director General and Inspector General of Police Dr.M.A.Saleem directed all unit officers to ensure that complaints relating to cybercrime and IT Act offences registered at jurisdictional or local police stations are immediately transferred to the concerned District/City Cyber Crime Police Station after registration of the FIR.
The move comes amid concerns that delays in acting on cyber fraud complaints can hamper efforts to preserve digital evidence and, particularly in financial fraud cases, freeze or hold suspected fraudulent transactions before the money is moved through multiple accounts.
According to the circular,local police stations will continue to receive complaints and register FIRs.
However,once an FIR is registered,the case must be “immediately transferred”to the concerned Cyber Crime Police Station,which must“immediately take up the case for investigation.”
The specialised units have been tasked with timely preservation and analysis of digital evidence,technical examination of electronic devices and records,and coordination with banks,payment intermediaries, telecom service providers, social media platforms and other agencies.
The circular also directs District Superintendents of Police and City Commissioners of Police to closely supervise the transfer and investigation of cybercrime cases.
District and City Cyber Crime Police Stations have been instructed to maintain records of cases transferred from jurisdictional police stations and ensure proper investigation.
The directive is expected to streamline the handling of cybercrime complaints and ensure that specialised investigators are involved at the earliest stage, particularly in cases involving online financial fraud where prompt intervention can be critical to tracing and freezing the defrauded money.
I can also sharpen this into a more hard-hitting newspaper crime report, with the “golden hour”issue as the opening peg and the circular as the official response.
