DMK convenor calls for strengthening cyber crime unit | #cybercrime | #infosec

Leader of Opposition and DMK convenor R. Siva has urged the government to take steps to strengthen the cyber crime division of Puducherry Police against the backdrop of rising cyber fraud cases.

In a statement, Mr. Siva pointed to the spate of instances over recent months where several people were getting defrauded of substantial money running into several crores in online scams. During investigations into some of these cases, cyber sleuths of the police department had unearthed a widespread network of such fradusters operating across the country. The DMK leader also suggested criminal action against those appearing in commercials to lure people to invest in online scam schemes.

Pointing out the complexity faced by the cyber police was that they have to travel to other States to hunt down the kingpins of the online rackets, Mr. Siva called for a mechanism where some money can be availed instantly by cyber teams who need to continue investigations in other places. Another major drawback is that in many cases, the looted money was not being returned to the victims.

Given the rising instances of cyber fraud, the onus was on the government and the police department to take measures to protect citizens from cyber criminals, he said. He urged the government to equip the cybercrime unit with cuttung edge equipment. Though the government had earmarked a substantial allocation in the last Budget for the purchase of various digital forensics equipment, adequate funds were yet to be released. A separate selection process for recruitment to the cyber division will draw personnel with technical aptitude to this important division of the police force, he said.