Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2025, Chandigarh’s cyber police registered 257 FIRs linked to online frauds amounting to over ₹95 crore. Despite arresting around 200 people, only ₹15 crore has been recovered, underlining the growing challenge of retrieving funds lost to cybercrime.
Officials from the cyber cell say delayed reporting and complex money-laundering tactics are the main reasons behind the low recovery rate. Victims often report frauds 24 to 72 hours after the incident, by which time the money is usually transferred and withdrawn from a web of fake accounts.
Cyber expert Gurcharan Singh emphasised the importance of early action. He explained that quick complaints improve the chances of freezing and recovering the money, which is otherwise moved through multiple fraudulent accounts to hide the trail.
Lack of Resources Hurting Cyber Policing
An RTI filed by R.K. Garg, president of the Second Innings Association, revealed serious limitations within the cybercrime team. These include shortage of staff, outdated technology, and lack of advanced technical skills. Garg also pointed out that victims face delays in getting their recovered money due to complicated bank processes and official red tape.
The cyber cell receives 500 to 850 complaints every month, adding up to nearly 21,000 over the last two years. Monthly losses from these frauds have ranged from ₹1 crore to ₹6.5 crore. Investment scams and digital arrest frauds have been the most frequent.
Some of the most painful cases have involved elderly victims. Colonel Dalip Singh Bajwa, aged 82, and his wife Ranvinder Kaur Bajwa, aged 74, were cheated of ₹3.41 crore. In another case, Colonel Harmohinder Singh Puri lost ₹36 lakh after being threatened with a false arrest.
Experts and victims are now urging the creation of dedicated cybercrime courts and special legal teams to handle such cases more efficiently. While police have conducted awareness drives and seminars, there is growing demand for faster reforms to improve prevention and justice.
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