Cyber frauds on Centre’s radar: Bandi Sanjay

Hyderabad: The Union Home Ministry has decided to provide district Superintendents of Police (SPs) across the country with the facility to immediately block SIM cards of accused involved in cyber crimes. Steps will also be taken to instantly send the exact locations of suspects, along with their banking and telecom details, to all police stations in the country.

In view of the increasing number of cyber frauds, the Ministry has decided to launch a large-scale awareness campaign in every village across the country on cyber crimes.

X Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar to select Telangana as the pilot state for this program. A one-day seminar on the subject will be organized in Telangana very soon.

Bandi Sanjay Kumar held a review meeting in national capital on Monday with senior Home Ministry officials on the Coordination Platform and Cyber Commando Program being implemented under the auspices of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C). Officials explained that the Coordination Platform will strengthen cooperation between police departments of different states. The ‘Pratibimb Module’ will allow the immediate sharing of cyber crime suspects’ locations, banking, and telecom details with all police stations.

Another feature, the ‘Cyber Crime Interstate Assistance Request Module,’ will enable one police station to seek help from another in cyber crime cases. Facilities are also being arranged for SPs to immediately block SIM cards and electronic devices used in such crimes. Through the banking module, investigating officers can quickly obtain bank CCTV footage and statements. In addition, special techno-legal support services have been set up to assist officers in complex cases and provide necessary tools for investigations.

Explaining the Cyber Commando Program, officials said its aim is to create a core team of highly skilled police officers, with 407 commandos in the first batch already trained at NFSU, IITs, IIITs, DIAT, and RRU, and now serving in various departments. Another batch will begin training later this year.

Bandi Sanjay Kumar congratulated I4C for its efforts and said that services should focus on benefiting the people. He announced that under Amit Shah’s leadership, Telangana will host a pilot seminar where ten personnel, from Home Guard to SP, will be selected from each of the 33 districts for a day-long session on cyber frauds by experts. These trained officers will then involve teachers, lawyers, engineers, doctors, journalists, and professors in further seminars, taking awareness programs to villages across the state.