Chandigarh, March 17 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stated on Tuesday that the state government's aggressive and technology-driven crackdown on cybercrime is yielding tangible results, with a notable decline in cyber fraud cases in 2025.
He said that law enforcement agencies have significantly increased arrests, sending a strong message to cyber criminals across the state.
In response to a question raised by Congress MLA Aftab Ahmed during Question Hour in the ongoing budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Saini said that cybercrime cases in the state decreased to 5,000 in 2025 from 6,054 in 2024, representing a decline of nearly 17 per cent.
Fraud cases also saw a substantial drop, to 6,324 in 2025 from 9,804 in 2024, showing a reduction of around 36 per cent, he said.
Saini said that the police administration is continuously working with seriousness and promptness to effectively control cybercrime, and the positive impact of these efforts is now visible.
He added that the state government had created a separate cybercrime department to tackle the growing challenge of such offences.
Referring to the 2026-27 budget proposals, Saini said the government announced the opening of three new cyber police stations in Gohana, Bahadurgarh and Sonipat to further strengthen the state's response to cyber offences.
On cybercrime and "digital arrest" cases, he said that people aged 60 years and above were among the most affected. Keeping this in view, the government was considering a dual one-time password (OTP) provision.
Under the proposed system, when an OTP is sought for a bank-linked transaction, it would be sent not only to the elderly person but also to their child.
The transaction would be completed only after both OTPs are entered, a move expected to significantly curb cybercrime and "digital arrest" frauds, Saini said.
The chief minister said that strict action was being taken against those involved in cybercrime. While 5,156 arrests were made in 2024, the number rose to 8,093 in 2025, registering an increase of about 57 per cent.
Saini said the nature of cybercrime was constantly evolving, with fraudsters using new techniques, including so-called "digital arrest" scams.
In such cases, defrauded money is routed through multiple bank accounts. Acting swiftly, the police, in coordination with banks, ensure that the amount is immediately put on hold.
The proportion of such held amounts increased to 40 per cent in 2025 from 27 per cent in 2024, an increase of 13 per cent.
The government implemented the Zero FIR system in cybercrime cases, under which victims can register complaints by calling the '1930' helpline, the chief minister said.
The FIR is automatically transferred to the concerned police station, ensuring prompt action, he said.
He said 16 nodal officers from different banks had been deployed in the cybercrime control room, where they coordinate with police to help freeze the defrauded amount.