Mumbai: Cybercrime almost doubles in a year, cops crack only 14% of cases

MUMBAI: The cyber police have been able to solve just about 14% of the total 2,518 cybercrime cases registered in 2019. This is a 6% drop from the year before, though cyber offences increased by over 83%, from 1,375 cases in 2018 to 2,518 in 2018. Police say their major concern is that a rising number of people are falling victim to credit and debit card, and e-wallet frauds (see graphic).

Experts feel the city and the state's cyberpolicing system needs an overhaul. Former police commissioner D Sivanandan said tech-savvy persons with professional degrees in IT or computer science should be recruited for the cyber police station as opposed to non-specialists, who are on transfer from other departments. "At present, cops who are put there are transferred every two years. This practice will not solve the purpose of cracking cybercrime cases, which are of a technical nature."
Superintendent of police (state cyber) Balsing Rajput said that for now, the department has implemented four processes-technology, processes, human resources and coordination. "These measures will help in an improvement in dealing with cases," he said.