Jaipur, July 23: In a move aimed at enabling quicker legal intervention and improving the recovery of defrauded money, the Rajasthan Police has lowered the threshold for the automatic registration of e-Zero First Information Reports (FIRs) in cyber financial fraud cases from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 lakh.
The decision follows guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and comes amid a rise in cyber financial crimes. Officials said the system is intended to facilitate the immediate initiation of legal proceedings, expedite the freezing of fraudulently transferred funds and strengthen the investigation process.
According to Additional Director General (Cyber Crime) V.K. Singh, Rajasthan had earlier provided automatic e-FIR registration only in cases involving cyber fraud of Rs 5 lakh or more. With the threshold now reduced to Rs 1 lakh, a larger number of complainants will be covered under the system.
e-Zero FIR System Expanded
Under the revised arrangement, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Cyber Helpline (1930) have been integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). Complaints of cyber financial fraud involving Rs 1 lakh or more will now automatically generate an e-Zero FIR at the designated cyber police station.
Officials said the registration of an e-Zero FIR allows investigators to immediately initiate legal measures, including freezing bank accounts, placing suspicious transactions on hold and collecting digital evidence such as call detail records (CDRs), internet protocol detail records (IPDRs) and CCTV footage, without waiting for the complainant to sign the FIR.
Also Watch:
Investigation Jurisdiction Defined
The complainant will, however, be required to visit the concerned police station within 72 hours to sign the printed copy of the FIR. If the complainant does not appear within the stipulated period, the police will issue a notice, though the preliminary investigation and other legal proceedings will continue.
The guidelines also specify the jurisdiction for investigation based on the amount involved. Cases involving fraud of Rs 1 crore or more will be investigated by the State Cyber Crime Police Station in Jaipur, while cases involving amounts between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1 crore will be handled by the district cyber police station or the local police station as directed by the Superintendent of Police or the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Technology-Driven Cyber Policing
DGP Rajiv Kumar Sharma said the initiative forms part of the Rajasthan Police's broader efforts to strengthen cyber policing through the adoption of technology and improved legal mechanisms.
Referring to the establishment of the Rajasthan Cyber Coordination Centre (R4C), modelled on the Centre's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), he said the new system would help provide faster assistance to victims while enabling more effective action against cyber criminals.
