The Government has significantly strengthened the country’s cyber crime response framework and forensic infrastructure through a series of coordinated initiatives aimed at enhancing investigation capabilities, improving inter agency coordination and safeguarding citizens against digital threats.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar shared details of these initiatives in a written reply in Lok Sabha, outlining the role of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, expansion of forensic laboratories and rising trends in cyber crime cases across the country.
Cyber crime prevention, detection and investigation remain primarily the responsibility of State Governments and Union Territories as policing and public order fall under the State List of the Constitution. However, the Central Government continues to support States and Union Territories through policy advisories, financial assistance and capacity building programmes to strengthen law enforcement agencies.
A key pillar of the national cyber security framework is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, established by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2018. The centre has evolved into a central platform for coordination among law enforcement agencies and stakeholders for tackling cyber crime.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre was designated as an attached office of the Ministry of Home Affairs with effect from July 1, 2024, further strengthening its institutional role. It focuses on building a comprehensive ecosystem for cyber crime prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution while enhancing coordination between various agencies and improving awareness among citizens.
One of the major initiatives under the centre is the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, launched in 2021. The platform enables citizens to report financial cyber frauds promptly, allowing authorities to take immediate action to prevent further siphoning of funds.
As per official data, more than 8690 crore rupees have been saved through this system across over 24.65 lakh complaints registered up to January 31, 2026. A dedicated toll free helpline number 1930 has also been operationalised to assist citizens in lodging cyber fraud complaints and seeking immediate support.
The government has also taken action to curb misuse of communication infrastructure in cyber crimes. Based on inputs from law enforcement agencies, more than 12.94 lakh SIM cards and 3.03 lakh mobile device identifiers have been blocked as of January 31, 2026.
To further strengthen financial fraud detection and prevention, a Suspect Registry has been developed in collaboration with banks and financial institutions. The registry maintains identifiers linked to suspected cyber criminals and facilitates information sharing among participating entities.
As of January 31, 2026, more than 23.05 lakh suspect identifiers have been received from banks while data relating to 27.37 lakh mule accounts has been shared with stakeholders. This has enabled financial institutions to decline suspicious transactions worth more than 9518 crore rupees.
Another major technological initiative is the Samanvaya platform, which functions as a comprehensive management information system, data repository and coordination tool for law enforcement agencies.
The platform provides analytical insights on cyber crime patterns, including interstate linkages of crimes and criminals, helping authorities identify organised cyber crime networks operating across jurisdictions.
A key module within the platform, known as Pratibimb, maps the locations of criminals and cyber crime infrastructure, enabling officers to visualise hotspots and take targeted enforcement action.
The system also facilitates techno legal assistance to investigating agencies. These tools have contributed to the arrest of more than 21857 accused persons and facilitated over 149636 cyber investigation assistance requests.
In a move to simplify legal processes for victims, the government has introduced an electronic First Information Report system for cyber crime cases. The e FIR facility has been implemented in Delhi, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand, allowing victims to register complaints digitally without visiting police stations.
Alongside cyber crime initiatives, the government has also undertaken a major expansion of forensic infrastructure to support scientific investigation of crimes.
Currently, seven Central Forensic Science Laboratories are operational in Chandigarh, Delhi, Kamrup in Assam, Kolkata in West Bengal, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Pune in Maharashtra and Hyderabad in Telangana.
Approval has now been granted for the establishment of eight additional Central Forensic Science Laboratories in Jammu, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Kerala. This expansion is aimed at improving forensic capacity and reducing case pendency.
To support digital evidence management, a centralized application called e Forensics has been developed. The platform enables secure storage and management of forensic data while ensuring data integrity and protection both during storage and transmission.
The government has also approved the establishment of a National Forensic Data Centre under the umbrella scheme Safety of Women. The centre will function as a centralized repository for forensic data collected from laboratories across the country, enabling more efficient evidence management and analysis.
Several major initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen forensic capabilities under schemes supported by the Nirbhaya fund, which has a financial outlay of more than 4800 crore rupees.
These include the establishment of a state of the art DNA analysis and research facility at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh and the setting up of a National Cyber Forensic Laboratory in Hyderabad for investigation of complex digital fraud cases.
In addition, approval has been granted for setting up six more National Cyber Forensic Laboratories under the Safety of Women scheme.
Financial assistance has also been provided to 30 States and Union Territories for strengthening DNA analysis and cyber forensic capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories.
Training and capacity building form a crucial component of these initiatives. A total of 36915 investigating officers, prosecutors and medical officers have been trained in handling DNA evidence and using sexual assault evidence collection kits by the Bureau of Police Research and Development and the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Sciences.
The National Forensic Sciences University, established under an Act of Parliament in 2020, is playing a key role in developing trained forensic professionals. In addition to its campuses in Gandhinagar and Delhi, approval has been given for setting up 14 new campuses across states including Goa, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The university has also established training academies in Imphal and Pune to further strengthen skill development in forensic science.
Under the modernization of forensic capacities scheme, 420 crore rupees have been approved for upgrading forensic laboratories across States and Union Territories, while 496.66 crore rupees have been sanctioned for deployment of mobile forensic vans in districts to facilitate on site evidence collection and analysis.
Data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau indicates a steady rise in cyber crime cases across the country. Total cyber crime cases registered increased from 52974 in 2021 to 65893 in 2022 and further to 86420 cases in 2023.
Among states, Karnataka reported a sharp rise from 8136 cases in 2021 to 21889 cases in 2023, while Telangana recorded 18236 cases in 2023 compared to 10303 cases in 2021. Uttar Pradesh reported 10794 cases in 2023, up from 8829 cases in 2021.
Tamil Nadu saw an increase from 1076 cases in 2021 to 4121 cases in 2023, while Bihar recorded a significant rise to 4450 cases in 2023 from 1413 cases in 2021.
Other states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha and Jharkhand also reported increases in cyber crime cases over the three year period.
At the national level, the data reflects the growing scale and complexity of cyber threats, underlining the need for enhanced technological capabilities and coordinated enforcement mechanisms.
To support cyber crime investigations, the government has established National Digital Investigation Support Centres in New Delhi and Assam to provide early stage cyber forensic assistance to investigating officers of State and Union Territory police forces.
In addition, a National Cyber Forensic Laboratory for evidentiary analysis was set up in Hyderabad in 2018 under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children scheme.
At present, 27 State Forensic Science Laboratories and seven Central Forensic Science Laboratories are operational across the country to assist in cyber crime investigations.
Digital forensic facilities have been expanded significantly over the years. Prior to 2014, digital forensic capabilities were available in four central laboratories located in Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Delhi and Kolkata. Since then, additional facilities have been established in Pune, Bhopal and Kamrup to enhance national capacity.
The government has also provided financial assistance of 116.5 crore rupees under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children scheme to States and Union Territories for setting up cyber forensic training laboratories. Such laboratories have been commissioned in 33 States and Union Territories including Madhya Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Maharashtra.
Officials said that the combined initiatives under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, expansion of forensic infrastructure and capacity building programmes are aimed at creating a robust national framework to tackle emerging cyber threats and strengthen the criminal justice system.
