CYBERCRIMINALS ARE FACELESS, SO THE CHALLENGES HAVE INCREASED: PRIYADARSHY

Our growing dependence on mobile phones and computers has made cybercrime easier — so pause, think, and act, says Priyadarshy

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In a special episode of KeyNote with CEO and Managing Editor of First India News Pawan Arora, Director General of Police (cyber crime), Hemant Priyadarshy emphasised that committing crimes in the digital age has become very easy, mainly because cybercriminals are faceless.

He pointed out that our increasing reliance on mobile phones and computers has significantly raised the level of cyber threats. A 1992-batch IPS officer, Priyadarshy echoed the words of PM Narendra Modi when advising citizens on cyber safety: pause, think, and act

How critical is the issue of cybercrime? To what extent have the government and law enforcement agencies addressed this growing concern?

The gravity of cybercrime is evident as the money defrauded through such crimes matches or exceeds losses from traditional crimes like theft, burglary, cheating, robbery, and loot. The issue is complicated by cybercriminals’ faceless nature, often leaving no trace, causing confusion over applicable laws, especially with international offenders. Nearly everyone carries a smartphone, essentially a computer, so criminals don't need to search activelytheir unsolicited calls or messages can target anyone anytime. Many fall victim unknowingly. The ease of committing cybercrimes, along with increasing digital dependence, has escalated the seriousness of this threat.

Is the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, enacted in 2023 to strengthen cybercrime laws alongside the IT Act 2000, currently implemented?