The Delhi Police has informed the Delhi High Court that it has established 15 cyber police stations in each district of the national capital to effectively combat and mitigate cyber crimes.
Additionally, the Delhi Police has informed the court that it has rebranded the Cyber Crime Unit of Delhi as the Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit. This unit’s scope has been expanded to include “generating intelligence and conducting operations to counter new cyber crimes.”
The submissions have been made by the Delhi Police in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ananya Kumar, a Ph.D. scholar researching crimes against women in cyberspace. The PIL alleges that Delhi Police officials often neglect to invoke the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 when registering cases related to cyber crimes.
The police force revealed that the “Cyber Crime reporting facilitation number 1930 (formerly 155260)” operates around the clock. To enhance this system, copies of First Information Reports (FIRs) filed on complaints received via the 1930 helpline are promptly sent to the relevant financial entity within 24 hours. This aids in authenticating reasons for freezing funds held by banks/wallets. Furthermore, mobile numbers linked to cyber crimes are shared with the Department of Telecommunications for blocking. An agreement has also been reached with Truecaller to identify fake numbers.
The response highlighted that Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena unveiled an e-book titled “Cyber Swachhta for Citizens.” This e-book aims to promote awareness through various social media platforms.
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology also submitted its response, asserting that States and Union Territories possess the authority to establish dedicated infrastructure and online visibility to facilitate the functioning of Adjudicating Officers appointed under the IT Act, 2000.
The matter was mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula. The bench granted the Delhi Government additional time to submit its affidavit on the matter.
The PIL seeks a directive for the Commissioner of Delhi Police to issue a mandatory standing order or guideline applicable across all police stations. This directive pertains to invoking the provisions of the IT Act upon receiving complaints, thereby facilitating the lodging of FIRs concerning cyber crimes.
Furthermore, the PIL urges all respondents to establish distinct infrastructure and online presence to support the proper functioning of adjudicating officers designated under the IT Act. It also calls for widespread awareness campaigns to enhance public understanding of such appointments.
The plea contends that due to the incomplete implementation of IT Act provisions, the resources invested in establishing and operating specialized cyber cell police stations in Delhi are going to waste. Moreover, the PIL argues that affected individuals are unable to avail remedies available under the legislation.
