Panel for eCourts for cyber crimes

New Delhi: Concerned people hit by cyber-crimes don’t have any place to go, a Parliamentary Standing Committee has asked the Centre to set up a national helpline to help such people and look at setting up of cyber courts to deal with such crimes.

“There is no separate mechanism for dealing with cases of cyber-crime in India.

The committee note with concern that there is no central helpline for victims of cyber crime,” said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT.

It said that like with other criminal offences state government under whom police come are primarily responsible for prevention and investigation of cybercrime.

However, it said that there is no specialised agency which can directly approach in cases of cyber crimes and cyber frauds which are occurring in the country and the victims are unaware as to whom to approach for remedy. “If a person falls prey to financial fraud while transacting through a mobile phone, he/she is unaware of the appropriate agency to approach. A lack of co-ordination amongst the different agencies and inadequate publicity of the existing arrangements further complicates the matter for the victim,” said the committee.

It said with increasing online activities/transactions there is an urgent need to adopt a ‘victim-centric’ approach through establishment of a nodal agency/ helpline for victims of cyber crimes, cyberfrauds and financial e-frauds among others which could help them in identification of the cyber crime, inform them about the appropriate agency to approach and guide them regarding next course of action in dealing with the incident.

“The committee recommend setting up of a nodal agency/helpline which could help victims of cybercrime in identification of the cyber crime, inform them about the appropriate agency to approach and guide them regarding next course of action in dealing with the incident,” it added.