With the changing era, technology changes. With the development of new technologies, new forms of crimes are emerging. As our society kept modernizing, the need to communicate with others for business, relationships, etc grew, and subsequently, we created the internet. Soon after the creation of the internet, crimes related to the internet also emerged. These crimes are called cybercrime. Cybercrime means any sort of crime that takes place in any internet platform or any crime that took place through or with the help of the internet. Few examples of cybercrimes are hacking, fraud, voice phishing, online harassment, online stalking, child pornography, etc.
In India, the provisions and punishment for cybercrime are mainly mentioned in the IT Act, 2008 and a certain type of cybercrimes comes under the IPC. If someone falls prey to cybercrime he/she can file a complaint. According to the IT Act, cybercrimes are global crime, that means it is not necessary to file the complaint in the city in which the crime was committed. Given below are the steps in which one can fill a complaint about cybercrime in India.
1. The very first thing a person who has fallen prey to cybercrime or someone known to him has fallen prey to cybercrime is to file a written complaint in the city that they reside.
2. In the complaint form, the aggrieved person or related to an aggrieved person should fill out all the necessary information. He should fill out the name of the aggrieved person, contact details, and address for mailing.
3. The written complaint should be addressed to the headquarters of the cyber cell which is situated in your city.
4. The victim of online harassment would be provided with a legal counselor. The counselor assists the victim in filing the report to the police station.
5. One can file FIR for cybercrime in the nearest police station. If the police refuse to file the FIR the aggrieved person can go and approach the commissioner or the Judicial Magistrate.[1]
The victims or persons near to the victim can file a complaint online at https://cyber crime.gov.in/Accept.aspx. This is an online portal run by the Government of India for cybercrimes. The victim can complain about any type of cybercrime that took place against him/her. Hacking, cyberstalking, child pornography, phishing, etc. People can also post compliant with keeping their names anonymous. This step would help the complainer to keep their identity hidden when they make a report against any content that is related to child pornography (CP) or rape/ gang rape (RGR).
In case the cyber cell refuses to charge your complaint, one can go to the nearest Judicial Magistrate. They can directly represent under him and state the reason why their complaint was refused at the cyber cell.
When one files a complaint to the cyber cell they should provide them certain documents which will act as evidence for their complaint. Listed below are some documents which should be submitted to the cyber cell while making the complaint:
For complaints related to social media –
- Screenshots of alleged content or profile
- A screenshot of the URL of the alleged content.
- The alleged contents both hard and soft copy.
For complaints related to email –
- The suspected mails entire header.
- Copy of suspected mail should also be submitted.
- Both hard and soft copies of the suspected mail with its header should be submitted.
For complaints related to internet banking/ online transaction/ lottery scam/ fake call –
- Last 6 months bank statement.
- Copy of the SMS received regarding the suspected transaction should be submitted.
- Copy of address proof and the victim’s ID should be submitted.[2]
For complaints related to data theft-
- Copy of stolen data and briefs should be submitted.
- The allegedly stolen properties copyright should be submitted.
- All the details related to the suspected employee(s).
- The suspected employee(s) letter od application, nondisclosure agreement, assigned list of work, gadgets and clients should also be submitted
- The proof of breach of the copyright data.[3]
The cases of cybercrime are increasing day by day. To stop or reduce this number, establishing a cyber cell would not suffice, people should also be educated about the same. Many people in our country are still unaware of these kinds of cybercrimes and hence are unbeknown that it can happen to them. Without understanding and knowing about the situation, they agree or believe what the criminals tell them. This results in them falling prey to these crimes. The government should take more initiative in educating the people about the types of cybercrime, the ways they can tackle these kinds of situations, and what they should do if they fall prey to these kinds of crimes.
Below mentioned are some of the cyber cell contact details (area wise):
Bangalore
Address: Cyber Crime Police Station, CID Annexe Building, Carlton House, # 1, Palace Road, Bangalore – 560001
Contact: 8022094498
Email ID: cybercrimepscomplaint@gmail.com
Gujarat
Address: DIG, CID, Crime, and Railways5thFloor, Police Bhavan, Sector 18, Gandhinagar 382 018
Contact:+91-79-2325 4384
+91-79-2325 0798
+91-79-2325 3917 (Fax)
Noida
Address: Centre for Cyber Crime Investigation, Plot No: B-110 A, Sector-6, Noida
Contact: (0120) 2422271, 8800165252
Lucknow
Address: V-Floor, Indira Bhawan, Ashok Marg, Lucknow
Contact: (0522) 2287253
Email ID: eowhq@up.nic.in
Uttarakhand
Address: Special Task Force Office
Sub Inspector of Police, Dehradoon
Contact: +91 135 2640982
+91 94123 70272
Email ID:dgc-police-us@nic.in
Uttar Pradesh
Address: Cyber Complaints Redressal Cell, Nodal Officer Cyber cell Agra, Agra Range 7, Kutchery Road, Baluganj,Agra-232001Uttar Pradesh
Contact:919410837559
e-mail: info@cybercellagra.com
West Bengal
CID, Cyber Crime, West Bengal
Contact: +9133 24506163
e-mail:occyber@cidwestbengal.gov.in
Punjab
Address: Cyber Crime Police Station
DSP Cyber Crime,S.A.S Nagar, Patiala, Punjab
Contact: +91 172 2748 100
Bihar
Address: Cyber Crime Investigation Unit
Dy.S.P.Kotwali Police Station, Patna
Contact: +91 94318 18398
E-mail: cciu-bih@nic.in
Odisha
Address: Cyber Crime Police Station,
CID, Crime Branch, Odisha, Cuttack-753001
Contact: 0671-2305485
E-mail ID:- sp1cidcb.orpol@nic.in
Kerala
Hitech Cell
Address: Police Head QuartersThiruvananthapuram
Contact: +91-471 272 1547
+91-471 272 2768
E-mail: hitechcell@keralapolice.gov.in
Meghalaya
Address: SCRB, Superintendent of Police, Meghalaya
Contact: +91 98630 64997
E-mail: scrb-meg@nic.in
Mumbai
Address: Cyber Crime Investigation Cell
Office of Commissioner of Police office, Annex -3 Building,1st floor, Near Crawford Market, Mumbai-01.
Contact :+91-22-22630829
+91-22-22641261
E-mail id: officer@cybercellmumbai.com[4]
References:
[1]https://www.myadvo.in/blog/how-to-file-a-cyber-crime-complaint-with-cyber-cell-in-india/
[2]https://iamcheated.indianmoney.com/blogs/how-to-file-a-cybercrime-complaint-in-india
[3]https://www.myadvo.in/blog/how-to-file-a-cyber-crime-complaint-with-cyber-cell-in-india/
[4]https://iamcheated.indianmoney.com/blogs/how-to-file-a-cybercrime-complaint-in-india
This article Is written by Anjali Krishnan student of 2nd year B.A. LL.B JIMS Engineering Management Technical Campus (JEMTEC)
Also Read: Terrorism And Cyber Crimes in India
