Lok Sabha Question No. 4378 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-23
Subject: Complaints of Blackmailing
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Nayab Singh, Ravindra Kushawaha, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Subrata Pathak, (Dr.) Ram Shankar Katheria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4378

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  MARCH, 2021/ CHAITRA 2, 1943 (SAKA) COMPLAINTS OF BLACKMAILING

†4378.

SHRI NAYAB SINGH: SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA: SHRI RAVI KISHAN: SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK: DR. RAM SHANKAR KATHERIA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has received complaints of blackmailing owing to clicking objectionable photographs and poses of children;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to address the said complaints; and

(c) if not, the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to check such crimes against children and to generate public awareness in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) and (b) 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  States/Union  Territories  (UTs)  are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of  crimes,  including  cyber-crimes  on  children.  The  Government  gives  high priority to such crimes against children. Apart from advisories issued to them in the matter, the States/UTs have been given financial assistance under the Cyber  Crime  Prevention  against  Women  and  Children  (CCPWC)  Scheme  for capacity  building  in  tackling  cyber-crime against women & children, which

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4378 FOR 23.03.2021

includes,  inter-alia,  setting  up  cyber  forensic  cum  training  laboratories, deployment  of  junior  cyber  consultants  and  training/capacity  building  of Police,  prosecutors  and  judicial  officers. To  facilitate  ease  in  reporting complaints  by  citizens,  an  online  National  Cyber  Crime  Reporting  Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) has been operationalized. Complaints can also be given  anonymously  on  the  portal. Further,  a  toll-free  helpline  (155260)  has been operationalized to assist citizens in lodging online complaints in their own  language. To  create  awareness  on  this  issue,  the  Ministry  of  Home Affairs has published a Handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Safety, in order to make them aware about various types of cyber crimes and how to protect  themselves  from  such  crimes.  This  Handbook  is  also  shared  on NCERT  website  by  Ministry  of  Education.  Similarly,  as  a  part  of  their Information Security and Education Awareness Project, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has shared guidelines for children, students,  women  etc,  on  their  portal.  The  Government  has  enacted  the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 as a special law to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The Government has amended the POCSO Act to make it more stringent in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse in the country.

(c) Does not arise in view of reply to (a) and (b) above.

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