Akhilesh Yadav attacks UP government over Lucknow call centre scam
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the recent bust of a fraudulent call centre in Lucknow. The former chief minister accused the state administration of failing to curb cybercrime, calling the incident a reflection of lawlessness under the current regime.
The call centre, which was operating from a posh locality in Lucknow, was unearthed by the Uttar Pradesh Police's cyber cell earlier this week. According to officials, the racket involved duping foreign nationals by posing as customer support representatives of multinational companies. Several suspects have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing.
Minister rebuts with NCRB data
In response, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Home Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, countered Akhilesh Yadav's allegations by citing the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. The 2024 NCRB data shows that Telangana reported the highest number of cybercrime cases in the country, not Uttar Pradesh.
“The NCRB report clearly indicates that Uttar Pradesh is not among the top states in cybercrime cases. Telangana, which is ruled by a different party, tops the list. This shows that the UP government is effectively tackling cybercrime,” the minister said.
Details of the Lucknow call centre bust
The call centre, disguised as a legitimate business process outsourcing unit, was found to have defrauded victims in the United States and Europe of lakhs of rupees. Police recovered multiple computers, mobile phones, and scripts used to trick callers. The operation was uncovered following a tip-off from international law enforcement agencies.
According to a senior police officer, the suspects would call victims, claiming there were issues with their bank accounts or computer systems, and then trick them into transferring money or providing sensitive information. The gang is believed to have been active for at least six months, with estimated earnings running into crores.
Political sparring over cybercrime
The exchange between Akhilesh Yadav and the UP minister highlights the ongoing political battle over law and order in the state. The Samajwadi Party has consistently criticized the Yogi Adityanath government for what it calls a deteriorating security situation. On the other hand, the ruling party points to data showing improvements in crime statistics.
Meanwhile, cybercrime experts have called for more robust preventive measures. “While arrests are important, the focus should be on public awareness and technological upgrades to prevent such scams,” said a cybersecurity analyst based in Noida.
