Now, a proposal to register cyber crimes at all police stations in Pune

Currently, the complainants have to visit the cyber crime police station at Shivajinagar headquarters to register their grievances

The cyber crime cell has readied a proposal seeking the registration of cyber crimes at all police stations in the city. Currently, the complainants have to visit the cyber crime police station at Shivajinagar headquarters to register their grievances.

The cyber crime cell has readied a proposal seeking the registration of cyber crimes at all police stations in the city. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

According to the directives issued, a cybercrime investigation and prevention cell will be formed at each police station, where five dedicated police staffers under the supervision of police inspector (crime) will handle the complaints related to cyber crime. The decision has been taken to provide relief to the complainants who had to run from pillar to post to reach the cyber crime police station from far flung corners of the city. Cyber crimes were being lodged only at the special cyber police station ever since it became operational in 2018.

Since 2018, the cyber crime police station at Shivajinagar has been the single point of contact for registration of cyber fraud related complaints. The percentage of registration of cyber crime related FIR’s had been less despite a number of frauds taking place, as there was no arrangement to lodge an FIR at the police stations which forced citizens to travel long distances to Shivajinagar and even led to many of them cancelling their decision to lodge cases, said officials.

Now, Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta has taken the decision to decentralisation the FIR mechanism and the same can be lodged at different police stations. This will be implemented after discussion with all the stakeholders.

Cyber police station incharge DS Hake said that currently, the police station at Shivajinagar receives 100 complaints on daily average. “Decentralisation of the cyber police station work will take place as per the directions of the police commissioner. A proposal to the effect has been readied for final implementation,” he said.

Currently, the cyber crime police station is mandated to lodge an FIR in cases where the fraud is over ₹1 lakh and investigation is transferred to the local police station. Now, after the decentralisation, this station will act as a nodal agency and frauds over ₹25 lakh will be investigated from this police station.

Saurabh Sanklecha , a resident of Hadapsar said, “I was cheated of ₹50,000 by online fraudsters. I wanted to lodge a complaint, by the Shivajinagar police station is far from my residence. I sent an email to the police commissionerate and it has been duly acknowledged.”