Equipped with hi-tech infra to empower police, these zonal units will effectively handle digital crime cases involving loss of money less than Rs 10 lakh
Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara during the inauguration of 13 zonal cyber cells, at Prerna Hall in Azad Maidan Police Club, on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje
The city now has 13 new cyber cells, dedicated to investigating financial frauds of value less than Rs 10 lakh more effectively. Currently, six cyber cells under the Mumbai crime branch have been handling serious digital crimes and frauds, but of amounts above Rs 10 lakh.
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The 13 cyber cells are equipped with advanced technology, aimed at enhancing the existing infrastructure and empowering police to investigate cyber fraud more efficiently.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and State Bank of India Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara jointly inaugurated the 13 cyber cells.
Khara expressed concerns about mobile phones and the Internet drastically changing the banking landscape, making gullible customers susceptible to cyber frauds. He highlighted that even well-educated working professionals too, have fallen prey to such frauds, with some even losing their lives.
The SBI has joined hands with the city police to ensure timely action, which is essential in combating such crimes, Khara said.
There has been a significant rise in e-commerce and internet-based banking transactions since the COVID-19 pandemic, making it imperative for the bank to prioritise enhancing security and customer awareness, he added.
Prevention
Phansalkar acknowledged that cyber crimes continue to escalate, and hence, he said, there is a need for the police and the banking sector to collaborate for fortifying security and implementing preventive measures.
“As much as it is the need of the police department to register and investigate the cases and bring the criminal to book it is also the need of the banking sector to see to it that the system becomes more secure, penetration becomes more difficult and preventive means and mechanism are in place so that less and less people fall prey to the such attacks of the fraudsters,” Phansalkar said while speaking at the launch.
“We are aiming at training every single officer, from constable to inspector, on cyber crime and cyber investigation, because this field is wide open and the volume is increasing,” he said.
Challenge addressed
One of the challenges in cyber crime investigation was the round-the-clock availability of nodal officers from banks. The SBI has agreed to fill in that gap. The bank’s nodal officers will be available 24x7 and help act promptly if there is a need to block an account, etc.
In his address, Special Commissioner Deven Bharti said that the fight against cyber crimes requires collective efforts from society as a whole.
According to the official data, 1,909 cyber fraud cases were reported in Mumbai between January and May this year. However, only 200 were solved, resulting in the arrest of 295 individuals.
200
No. of cases solved so far
1,909
No. of cyber cases reported from Jan-May
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