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Patna: Victims of cyber fraud in Bihar continued to wait for the return of their lost money even during major festivals such as Chhath and Diwali. According to data from the Cyber Crime and Security Unit (CCSU), cybercriminals defrauded 47,659 people in the state of Rs 121.26 crore during September and October 2026. Against this total loss, victims received refunds of only Rs 8.04 crore, leaving the recovery of the remaining funds a persistent challenge.
Figures released by the CCSU show that 47,659 complaints of financial cyber fraud were registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) from Bihar during the two-month period. Following intervention by the cyber police and banks, authorities managed to place a hold on Rs 36.94 crore, which accounts for 30.46 percent of the total defrauded amount. However, delays in reporting the crimes allowed fraudsters to move a significant portion of the stolen money out of reach.
Fraudsters Withdraw Rs 84.32 Crore Amid Reporting Delays
A breakdown of the Rs 121.26 crore loss reveals that only 6.63 percent of the total amount, or Rs 8.04 crore, has been returned to victims so far. Of the remaining Rs 113.22 crore, cybercriminals successfully withdrew Rs 84.32 crore through various channels, while Rs 28.90 crore remains on hold in different bank accounts awaiting release.
Timely action by police and banking officials is essential to freeze defrauded funds before they are siphoned off. Because many victims reported the incidents late, cybercriminals were able to transfer the stolen funds across multiple accounts before a freeze could be initiated. As a result, despite efforts to block the initial receiving accounts, recovering the full amount became difficult.
Technical Hurdles Slow Down MRM Portal Benefits
To expedite the refund process for cyber fraud victims, the Government of India launched the Money Restoration Module (MRM) portal. The platform was designed to transfer held or frozen funds directly back to victims without requiring them to make repeated visits to courts or banks.
In Bihar, however, citizens are not receiving the full benefit of this initiative due to technical issues. Officials noted that the refund process has slowed down at the cyber police station level, where verifying held amounts with the respective banks is taking considerable time. Consequently, even victims whose money has been safely frozen in bank accounts are facing prolonged delays in getting their funds released.
Patna Tops District List with Rs 13.81 Crore in Held Funds
Among all districts in the state, Patna recorded the highest amount of disputed cyber fraud funds currently on hold. Authorities have registered Rs 13.81 crore in disputed held amounts in the state capital, where the money has been frozen in bank accounts but the verification and release procedures remain incomplete.
Verifying frozen funds and ensuring their transfer back to rightful owners remains a key operational hurdle for both the cyber police and banking institutions. The gap between the Rs 121.26 crore lost over two months and the Rs 8.04 crore returned highlights that freezing funds is only the first step. For thousands of affected residents, the timely resolution of the Rs 28.90 crore currently on hold depends on resolving verification bottlenecks.
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