New Delhi, December 17: Cybercrime cases in India have risen sharply by over 60% in the past three years, from 52,974 cases in 2021 to 86,420 cases in 2023, as per data shared in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Financially motivated crimes continue to drive this increase, with online fraud cases up by nearly 39%, from 14,007 in 2021 to 19,466 in 2023. Cheating-related cyber offences saw a dramatic rise of over 150%, jumping from 6,343 to 16,943 cases in the same period.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, highlighted a 77.4% rise in computer-related offences, reflecting the expanding digital reach of both citizens and criminals. The number of cases registered under the IT Act rose by over 61%, while cyber crimes under the IPC surged by 64.8%.

Cases of cyber stalking and bullying of women and children remained high, with 1,305 cases reported in 2023. Karnataka emerged as the biggest hotspot for cyber crimes, recording 21,889 cases in 2023, followed by Telangana with 18,236 cases. Kerala saw the most significant rise, with cases growing more than fivefold from 626 in 2021 to 3,295 in 2023.

The Ministry also reported that over Rs 7,130 crore had been saved through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System since 2021. Additionally, more than 11 lakh SIM cards and nearly 3 lakh IMEIs linked to cyber crimes have been blocked.