As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), from 12,317 cases of cybercrime in 2016, there is now many fold increase in the cases across India.
According to the data, the cybercrime cases registered in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were 21796, 27248 and 44546 respectively.
The advent of information technology has meant that public visibility of personal communication and expression of ideas and emotions happen at a rapid speed.
Cybercrimes are rising with the increased use of information and communication technology. The questions remain if the capacity of enforcement agencies to investigate cybercrime remains adequate with the alarming trend. The question gets a bit more elaborated in view of the fact that most cybercrimes are trans-national in nature with extra-territorial jurisdiction. The collection of evidence from foreign territories is not only a difficult but also a tardy process.
It is important to note that interactions in the public sphere always require a higher degree of care and integrity compared with interpersonal communication.
In the middle of it, the growing proliferation of the internet and increasing use of online platforms in day-to-day life, the number of cyber crime cases increased over the years in India.
Cyber crime is a criminal activity that involves the use of one or more computers and a network. A target could be an individual, an organisation or a government. Financial fraud, invasion of privacy, illegal trade, online stalking, data theft, subversion and espionage are a few examples of cyber crime.
Crimes such as revenge porn and slut shaming also increased on social media platforms. Some, rather occasional controversies are subsumed over a period. However many problems remain and justice delivery mechanisms appear to be very complex and inaccessible to people, more particularly the marginalized when it comes to cyber crimes.
Apart from simplifying means for justice delivery, there is a need to spread awareness as well as training law enforcement agencies and improve cyber forensic facilities including properly educating them on gender sensitisation. These steps would surely help to prevent such cases and expedite investigation.
The government is primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of crimes through law enforcement machinery. Government must ensure prompt action as per provisions of law against the criminals misusing social media. It must ensure a greater number of men for the purpose of investigation in view of the fact that Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 requires investigation to be done by an officer of Inspector rank.
