Monday, 06 Oct, 2025
The cases of cyber crime in the country are continuously rising as scamsters find new ways to dupe the people. Image Source: Getty
According to the FIR, Murthy received a phone call on the morning of September 5, around 9.40 am, from a man claiming to be an official with the Union government’s Department of Telecommunications.
Author, philanthropist and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy, wife of Infosys founder and former chairman N. R. Narayana Murthy, has approached the Bengaluru Police after an alleged cyber fraud attempt targeting her. The incident, now under investigation, has raised fresh concerns about the rising menace of online scams in the city.
The case surfaced on Monday, September 22, when the Cyber Crime police confirmed that they had registered an FIR two days earlier against an unidentified individual. The complaint, lodged on Murthy’s behalf by a staff member named Ganapathy, has been booked under Sections 66(C), 66(D), and 84(C) of the Information Technology Act, dealing with identity theft, cheating by impersonation, and cyber offences. The matter had also been flagged earlier through the National Cyber Reporting Portal (NCRP) on September 5.
According to the FIR, Murthy received a phone call on the morning of September 5, around 9.40 am, from a man claiming to be an official with the Union government’s Department of Telecommunications. The caller alleged that her mobile number had not been linked to her Aadhaar card and further claimed that obscene messages were being circulated from the number. He threatened that the connection would be blocked by noon unless she provided certain personal details. Investigators said the caller appeared on Truecaller as “Telecom Department,” suggesting that the fraudster had manipulated the caller ID to lend authenticity. The complaint further notes that the individual spoke in an inappropriate manner and attempted to mislead Murthy into divulging sensitive information. Legal action has been sought against the unknown caller, and police have initiated a probe to trace the source of the call.
This incident comes close on the heels of another high-profile case of cyber fraud reported in Bengaluru. On August 26, Preethi Sudhakar, wife of BJP MP from Chikkaballapur and former Karnataka minister K. Sudhakar, was conned out of ₹14 lakh by fraudsters posing as officials from the Mumbai Cyber Crime unit. The conmen contacted her via WhatsApp, alleging that illegal funds had been transferred into her account, and coerced her into making payments.
However, swift intervention by the Cyber Crime, Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) police prevented a financial disaster. The police managed to freeze the account into which the money had been transferred and returned the full amount to the complainant within a week. The West Division CEN police station later confirmed the recovery in an official statement issued on Monday. Speaking to reporters, DCP (West) S. Girish stressed the importance of immediate action when confronted with cyber fraud. “The first hour after a fraudulent transaction is the golden hour. Victims should immediately call the national cyber helpline 1930 and file a complaint with the nearest police station to enable swift intervention,” he said.
With incidents involving prominent personalities now coming to light, Bengaluru police have reiterated their appeal to citizens to remain cautious of impersonation scams, fraudulent calls, and online extortion attempts.
The cases of cyber crime in the country are continuously rising as scamsters find new ways to dupe the people. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Crime in India Report 2022, the total number of cases reported during the year was 65,893, showing an increase of 24.4 percent in registration over 2021 (52,974 cases). The crime rate under this category increased from 3.9 in 2021 to 4.8 in 2022. During 2022, 64.8 percent of cyber-crime cases registered were for the motive of fraud (42,710 out of 65,893 cases) followed by Extortion with 5.5 percent (3,648 cases) and Sexual Exploitation with 5.2 percent (3,434 cases). This was the highest number of cases of cyber-crime reported in a year till date. The chargesheeting rate in the cyber-crime cases was just 29.6 percent.
Source: National Crime Records Bureau
Telangana recorded the highest number of cybercrime cases in India in 2022, with 15,297 incidents reported, followed by Karnataka with 12,556 cases and Uttar Pradesh with 10,117. Notably, cybercrime in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh saw a sharp rise compared to the previous year, up from 8,136 and 8,829 cases respectively in 2021.
Cyber fraud, commonly referred to as internet or online fraud, typically involves deceiving individuals to extract money through digital means. Scammers often reach out via phone calls, emails, text messages, or other communication channels to collect sensitive personal data. In many cases, they send malicious links or software to gain unauthorized access to devices or networks, allowing them to steal confidential information like bank account details, credit card numbers, or identity credentials.
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), cybercrime in India has been rising at a concerning pace. Cases nearly doubled from 27,248 in 2018 to 44,735 in 2019, with 2022 marking the year with the highest number of cybercrime incidents on record.
Fraud emerged as the most common motive behind cybercrimes, accounting for 32,230 of the 52,974 reported cases. Other prevalent motives included extortion (2,883 cases) and sexual exploitation (4,555 cases). In 2021, authorities were tasked with investigating 73,884 cybercrime cases. However, in 21,229 of those cases, the accused could not be traced or the evidence was insufficient, leading to their release.
These statistics highlight a troubling trend, not only is cybercrime increasing, but many cases remain unresolved. Moreover, the actual number of incidents is likely far higher, as many cases go unreported.
In response, the Indian government has implemented various initiatives to bolster cyber defense capabilities. These include creating comprehensive cybersecurity regulations, establishing robust legal frameworks, and enhancing the capacity of the judiciary to tackle digital crimes. Sector-specific Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) have also been formed to provide technical assistance and manage cybersecurity threats within distinct industries.
Despite these efforts, the continuing rise in cybercrime indicates that further action is necessary. Strengthening cyber awareness, increasing law enforcement capacity, and encouraging timely reporting of cyber incidents will be crucial in addressing this growing threat.
