27 November,2014 07:25 AM IST | | Chaitraly Deshmukh
CID’s report also analyses the nature, motivations and the profile of the suspects in crimes related to computers and technology, committed across various cities in the state
Cyber crime
It turns out that the hub of information technology (IT) is also where maximum crimes under the IT Act are reported, as compared to other districts in the state. In most cases reported with the city police, the suspect is a friend, business competitor and professional learner.
The revelation came on Tuesday after the state CID published it's sixteenth annual report âCrime in Maharashtra 2013', which gave an extensive analysis of crime in the state in the year 2013.
The CID has collected statistical information on cyber crimes under the IT Act and other offences registered under the Indian Penal Code that were committed using computers. Cyber crime investigation cells have been formed in Mumbai, Nagpur and Thane to battle the menace.
The report makes a detailed analysis of computer-related crimes that were reported across the state.
Criminal profile
The CID's report also analysed the profile of the arrested accused in cyber crime cases in various cities. 15 cases reported in Aurangabad city involved a foreign national or group, followed by 3 such cases in Thane rural. Cases pertaining to disgruntled employees were mainly seen in Akola (17), Pune city (11), and Thane city (14). Offences by hackers and professional learners were reported in Akola (3) and Pune city (2). Crimes by business competitors were seen most in Pune (8) and Solapur city (7). The involvement of friends and neighbours was mainly seen in Aurangabad city (21 cases), Pune city (20), Nagpur city (18) and Yavatmal (57).
Motives
As per the CID, most cyber crimes in the state are motivated by revenge, greed, desire to cause disrepute and illegal gains, and may lead to fraud, molestation and harassment. Crimes of revenge-mainly took place in Pune (7) and Thane (3). For crimes committed out of greed for money, Thane ranked first, reporting 61 cases, followed by Pune city (15 cases), Bhandara (8). Causing disrepute was mainly noticed in Chandrapur (14), Parbhani (14), Pune Rural (9), Thane city (9), Amrawati
Rural (7). The highest cases of crime driven by illegal gains and employing fraud were seen in Mumbai commissionerate, which reported 49 cases, Pune city (33), Navi Mumbai (23) and Thane commissionerate (21).