Kolkata: The number of cyber crime cases in Bengal declined in 2023 compared to previous years, even as states like Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala recorded sharp increases, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.
In Bengal, 309 cyber crime cases were reported in 2023, down from 401 in 2022 and 513 in 2021. By contrast, Karnataka registered the highest number of such cases in the country—21,889 in 2023, compared to 12,556 in 2022 and 8,136 in 2021. Telangana followed with 18,236 cases in 2023, up from 15,297 in 2022 and 10,303 in 2021.
Kerala also saw a sharp surge, with 3,295 cyber crime cases recorded in 2023, against 626 in 2021 and 773 in 2022.
The chargesheet rate in Bengal’s cyber crime cases stood at 80.7 per cent, significantly higher than Karnataka’s 18.1 per cent.
According to the NCRB report, the most common motive behind cyber crimes across India was cheating and defrauding people. In 2023, 59,526 such cases were registered nationwide. Another 4,199 cases involved sexual exploitation through online means, while 3,326 cases were related to cyber extortion.
Under the Information Technology (IT) Act, the most frequent offences were computer-related crimes, with 39,483 cases reported across India in 2023. There were also 4,978 cases of identity theft. In Bengal, computer-related offences were identified as the most common form of cyber crime during the year.