Lok Sabha Question No. 4126 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Incidents of Digital Arrest
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Mahesh Kashyap

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4126

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2025/ CHAITRA 4, 1947 (SAKA)

INCIDENTS OF DIGITAL ARREST

†4126. SHRI MAHESH KASHYAP:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  the total number of incidents of digital arrest which occurred across the country;

(b)  the  total  number  of  persons  from  Chhattisgarh  who  have  become victims of fraud due to digital arrest; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to prevent crimes related to digital arrest?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a) to (c): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  as  per  the Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  States/UTs  are primarily  responsible  for  the  prevention,  detection,  investigation  and prosecution  of  crimes  including  cyber  crime  and  digital  arrest  scams through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The Central Government supplements  the  initiatives  of  the  States/UTs  through  advisories  and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4126 FOR 25.03.2025

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the  statistical  data  on  crimes  in  its  publication  'Crime  in  India'. The latest published report is for the year 2022. Specific data regarding digital arrest scams is not maintained separately by NCRB.

To  strengthen  the  mechanism  to  deal  with  cyber  crimes  including digital  arrest  scams  in  a  comprehensive  and  coordinated  manner,  the Central Government  has  taken  steps  which, inter-alia, include the following:

- i. The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  set  up  the  'Indian  Cyber  Crime Coordination  Centre'  (I4C) as  an  attached  office  to  deal  with  all types of cyber crimes in the country, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
- ii. The Central Government has launched a comprehensive awareness programme  on digital arrest scams  which, inter-alia, include; newspaper  advertisement,  announcement  in  Delhi  Metros,  use  of social media influencers to create special posts, campaign through Prasar Bharti and electronic media, special programme on Aakashvani  and  participated  in  Raahgiri  Function  at  Connaught Place, New Delhi on 27.11.2024.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4126 FOR 25.03.2025

- iii. The  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  spoke  about  digital  arrests  during  the episode "Mann Ki Baat" on 27.10.2024  and apprised  the citizens  of India.
- iv. I4C  in  collaboration  with  the  Department  of  Telecommunications (DoT)  has  launched  a  caller  tune  campaign  for  raising  awareness about cybercrime and promoting the Cyber Crime Helpline Number 1930 & 'National  Cyber  Crime  Reporting  Portal' (NCRP). The caller tune  is  also  being  broadcasts  in  regional  languages,  delivered  7-8 times a day by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
- v. I4C proactively identify and blocked more than 3,962 Skype IDs and 83,668 Whatsapp accounts used for Digital Arrest.
- vi. The  Central  Government  has  published  a  Press  Release  on  Alert against incidents of 'Blackmail' and 'Digital Arrest' by Cyber Criminals  Impersonating  State/UT  Police,  NCB,  CBI,  RBI  and  other Law Enforcement Agencies.
- vii. The Central Government and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have devised  a  system  to  identify  and  block  incoming  international spoofed  calls displaying  Indian  mobile  numbers  appear to be originating within India. Directions have been issued to the TSPs for blocking of such incoming international spoofed calls.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4126 FOR 25.03.2025

- viii. Till 28.02.2025, more than 7.81 lakhs SIM cards and 2,08,469 IMEIs as reported by Police authorities have been blocked by Government of India.
- ix. The 'National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal' (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a part of the I4C, to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes,  with  special  focus  on  cyber  crimes  against  women  and children. Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the  State/UT  Law  Enforcement  Agencies  concerned  as  per  the provisions of the law.
- x. The  'Citizen  Financial  Cyber  Fraud  Reporting  and  Management System', under I4C, has been launched in  year  2021 for  immediate reporting of financial frauds and to stop siphoning off funds by the fraudsters. So far, financial amount of more than Rs. 4,386 Crore has been saved in more than 13.36 lakh complaints. A toll-free Helpline number '1930' has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.
- xi. To spread awareness on cyber crime, the Central Government has taken  steps  which,  inter-alia,  include;  dissemination  of  messages through  SMS,  I4C  social  media  account  i.e.  X  (formerly  Twitter)

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 4126 FOR 25.03.2025

(@CyberDost),  Facebook(CyberDostI4C),  Instagram  (cyberDostI4C), Telegram(cyberdosti4c), Radio campaign, engaged MyGov for publicity in multiple mediums, organizing Cyber Safety and Security Awareness  weeks  in  association  with  States/UTs,  publishing  of Handbook  for  Adolescents/Students,  digital  displays  on  railway stations and airports across, etc.

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