MHA tells Supreme Court of over 21,900 digital arrest complaints in 2026
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and its Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) filed a status report in the Supreme Court on 7 October 2026. It records more than 21,900 digital arrest complaints, involving over Rs 647 crore, from 1 January to 31 August 2026. Refunds through the Money Restoration Portal have reached Rs 332.7 crore.
Syllabus: GS2 · Federalism & Local Government; GS2 · Governance & e-Governance; GS3 · Cyber Security & Money Laundering
Why this matters for UPSC
Digital arrest fraud sits in GS3 cyber security and GS2 governance. Prelims can ask what the I4C, the NCRP, helpline 1930 and the e-Zero FIR are; Mains, about Centre-State coordination when police is a State subject.
Why it matters
Older people with savings are the most frequent targets, frightened by a fake officer on a screen into wiring money. What happens after the call now matters as much as the call itself. A victim who reports within five days to the bank and to 1930 has a better chance that the money is frozen and returned. From 1 January 2027, a person who loses up to Rs 50,000 can get 85% of the net loss or Rs 25,000, whichever is less, once in a lifetime. Bigger losses still depend on police and banks tracing mule accounts. The larger question is who should carry the risk of fraud in a digital economy: the customer alone, or also the banks and platforms the criminals use.
Prelims pointers
- Seventh Schedule: 'Police' and 'Public order' are in the State List; the Centre only supplements States through advisories and funds for capacity building.
- Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946: Section 5 lets the Centre extend the CBI's jurisdiction to a State; Section 6 makes the State Government's consent necessary.
- CBI: set up by a Government of India resolution of 1 April 1963, not by a statute; it works under the Department of Personnel and Training.
- Section 173(1), BNSS: information on a cognizable offence may be given orally or electronically to any police station, irrespective of where the offence occurred.
- e-Zero FIR pilot (Delhi, May 2025): NCRP or 1930 complaints of losses above Rs 10 lakh auto-register as a Zero FIR, joining NCRP, Delhi Police e-FIR and NCRB's CCTNS.
- I4C: scheme approved on 5 October 2018, dedicated to the nation on 10 January 2020, made an attached office of the MHA from 1 July 2024.
- Sanchar Saathi (Department of Telecommunications): its Chakshu facility takes reports of suspected fraud calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages; money already lost goes to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
Practise a UPSC-style question
With reference to the investigation of cybercrime in India, consider the following statements:
1. 'Police' and 'Public order' are subjects in the State List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.
2. Under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, extending the CBI's jurisdiction to a State requires that State Government's consent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Police is a State subject, and the CBI needs a State's consent to work in it.
Statement 1: correct. Both 'Police' and 'Public order' are in the State List of the Seventh Schedule, so States investigate cybercrime and the Centre supplements them.
Statement 2: correct. Section 5 of the DSPE Act, 1946 lets the Centre extend the CBI's jurisdiction to a State, and Section 6 makes the State's consent necessary.
Eliminate: Statement 1 is surest, since police is a textbook State subject. Out: (b), (d).
Eliminate: Statement 2 also holds, because Section 6 requires consent. Out: (a).
Trap: Wrong scope. A student who thinks cybercrime is national may place police in the Union List, or think the CBI can enter any State at will.
Remember: Police is a State subject; the CBI enters a State through Section 6 consent of the DSPE Act, 1946.
Explainers on this topic
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