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Net loss: Getting away with crime

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By cyberfreak, on 15-06-2007 08:10

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From porn photos in otherwise innocuous looking mails to hacked accounts and stolen data to financial and credit card frauds...

the number of people being impacted by unethical and illegal practices on the Net is going only one way – up. However, if you think there is a major war being fought in cyberspace to battle criminals operating there, at least the figures of cyber crimes registered with the police suggest no such thing. This year, a grand total of 11 cases have been registered, while last year the total number of cases was nine. The number of convictions is in proportion – only two. And out of those, one was secured by the CBI and one by the Tamil Nadu police. In other words, no police department in any of the metros has been able to manage even one conviction!

Why is nobody complaining? A mix of low conviction rates and lack of police empathy are forcing victims to stay quiet. Explains cyber law expert Pavan Duggal, “The police is simply unwilling to file cases. Electronic evidence is not collected methodically, which hampers convictions. Victims get disheartened if told that the chance of solving the case is minimal, and so they don’t register. Moreover, a cyber cell posting is considered to be a punishment transfer by policemen across the country. And this attitude has an effect on the morale of the department, and consequently on its efficiency.”

A victim of cyber harassment, Rehwa Singh found this out the hard way. Upon realising that one Sameer Chawdhry had posted vulgar scraps on her profile in Orkut, she tried lodging a complaint, but was told that it would be impossible to track down the accused. Disappointed, she decided not to file the case at all.

Reported, but not registered
The police, meanwhile, maintains that the victims are not forthcoming. Says ACP, Cyber Crime cell, SD Mishra, “Most of the time, in cases of obscene material or fraud, people back out because of fear of media attention. In fraud and credit card cases, private banks try to hush up the matter by mutually settling the case. Even though we try and encourage people, cases are not registered.”

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