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India’s Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disclosed alarming cyber fraud figures for Pune in 2024 during the Assembly session. The city suffered losses of Rs6,007 crore across 1,504 cybercrime cases.
Cyber fraud in Pune was almost five times greater than the total losses in Mumbai, Thane, and Nagpur, which reported Rs 1,125 crore across 5,741 cases.
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Cybercrime Statistics Across Major Cities:
Fadnavis’ response provided a broader look at cyber frauds across Maharashtra’s key cities:
Mumbai: 4,849 cases, Rs888 crore losses
Thane: 680 cases, Rs174 crore losses
Nagpur: 212 cases, Rs63 crore losses
Pune: 1,504 cases, Rs6,007 crore losses
Experts pointed out that the amount of cyber fraud in Pune far exceeded the yearly budgets of several city governments, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, and Nashik.
Breakdown of Pune’s Cyber Fraud Cases:
A senior Pune police officer, speaking anonymously, revealed that two major cases account for most of Pune’s cyber fraud losses. These are:
GST fraud worth Rs 5,000 crore
Another GST-related fraud of Rs 561 crore
Both cases are filed under Section 66D of the IT Act, which addresses cheating through computer resources. Without these cases, Pune’s cyber fraud losses in 2024 would be Rs 446 crore, lower than Mumbai’s.
Police Response and Challenges in Tackling Cybercrime:
Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar recognized the seriousness of cyber fraud and said the police are actively working to address it. “We are focusing on responding within the ‘golden hours’ to freeze bank accounts of cyber fraudsters, ensuring timely recovery of victims’ money,” he said.
Cyber experts highlight a significant public unawareness of cyber threats. Police, overwhelmed with their duties, struggle to run effective awareness campaigns. Additionally, a shortage of skilled personnel delays investigations and slows down access to vital information from banks, SIM providers, and social media.
“They often struggle to receive timely data, allowing fraudsters to escape. If SIM card companies and banks strictly enforce KYC norms without loopholes, cyber frauds can be significantly reduced,” said a cyber expert.
Acknowledging the growing cyber threat, CM Fadnavis outlined various government initiatives to tackle cyber frauds in Maharashtra:
50 Cyber Police Stations: The government has established 50 specialized cyber police stations in the state staffed with trained officers.
Digital Forensic Laboratory: The ‘Centre of Excellence in Digital Forensic’ has been established in Pune to aid forensic investigations of cyber fraud cases.
Semi-Automated Processing System: The home ministry is working on a project to speed up the analysis of old cyber fraud cases.
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