In a significant move to tackle the alarming rise in cybercrimes, the Rajasthan High Court has issued comprehensive directives for establishing a dedicated cybercrime control centre and implementing robust digital security measures across the state.
New Cybercrime Hub for Rajasthan
The court has directed the additional chief secretary (home) to establish the Rajasthan Cybercrime Control Centre (R4C), which will function as the nodal agency for coordinating, preventing, and investigating digital offenses including online fraud and digital arrests. Justice Ravi Chirania specifically ordered that this centre must be modelled after and work closely with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C).
This decision came while the court was rejecting bail applications from two individuals accused in cyber fraud cases. The court expressed serious concerns about investigative agencies' inability to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber-financial crimes.
Comprehensive Safety Measures for Children
Recognizing the vulnerability of younger generations, the court has directed both the home and education departments to draft a standard operating procedure (SOP) specifically designed to regulate mobile phone usage, online gaming, and social media access for children under 16 years of age.
In his detailed order issued on Thursday, Justice Chirania observed that the regular police force remains ill-equipped to handle cybercrime investigations due to significant technical expertise gaps. To address this critical issue, the court has ordered the home and personnel departments to recruit special IT inspectors who will work under the Director General (cyber) and focus exclusively on cyber investigations.
Enhanced Financial Security Protocols
The court has implemented stringent measures for financial institutions, including:
- Mandatory use of RBI-developed AI tools like 'Mule Hunter' to detect mule accounts and suspicious transactions
- Re-verification of KYC for accounts showing low activity
- Development of joint SOP for handling digital arrest cases
- Physical verification within 48 hours for sudden large transactions by elderly or vulnerable customers
Additional significant directives include creating an online registration system for all new and second-hand digital devices, mandatory police verification and QR-coded ID cards for gig economy workers, and establishing cyber security awareness cells through the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority.
The court also called for stricter enforcement of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and mandatory monthly audits of digital transactions across all government departments.
Alarming Cybercrime Statistics
Citing data from parliamentary standing committees and central agencies, the court revealed that national cyber complaints have skyrocketed from 26,049 in 2019 to 20,33,316 in 2024. Despite frauds amounting to Rs 21,181 crore being reported in 2024, legal claims were made for only Rs 2,530 crore, highlighting the urgent need for more effective cybercrime prevention and investigation mechanisms.
