In a significant move to tackle the rising number of cyber fraud cases, Madhya Pradesh has become the second state in India, after Delhi, to implement the e Zero FIR system.
The initiative came into force on December 25 and applies to cyber financial fraud cases involving amounts above Rs 1 lakh. The system has been given legal backing under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. It allows victims to register complaints online from anywhere in the country, without being restricted by the jurisdiction of the police station where the crime occurred.
The e Zero FIR mechanism is aimed at speeding up investigations and ensuring timely legal action in cyber fraud cases. Since its launch, the state cyber crime cell has forwarded around 100 e Zero FIRs to police stations across Madhya Pradesh for registration of regular FIRs. Police officials, however, acknowledged that the total number of complaints received was much higher.
“Even in cases where FIRs were yet to be registered, immediate action such as blocking accounts or freezing fraudulent transactions was taken,” a senior police officer said.
Police officials said the system offers major relief to victims, who earlier had to make repeated visits to police stations to get FIRs registered. Complaints can now be filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or the 1930 helpline, with FIRs initiated digitally.
At the same time, officers expressed concern over the lack of additional manpower and resources to handle the expected rise in cyber crime cases. “The system is beneficial for the public, but the investigation load will increase significantly,” an officer said, adding that the process is still evolving.
Senior officials noted that victims often lose their life savings within minutes but face delays in FIR registration, reducing recovery chances. In cases that do not require complex technical investigation, the cyber crime branch has registered Zero FIRs and transferred case diaries to local police stations based on jurisdiction.
Police officials also said cyber crime investigations are currently handled only by inspectors or officers of higher rank. A proposal is under discussion at the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre to allow sub inspectors and above to investigate such cases. “This will help address manpower shortages, as sub inspectors are available in much larger numbers,” an officer said.
Highlighting the need for inter state coordination, officials said fraudsters often operate remotely across states. “Better coordination will save time, resources and help nab offenders faster,” an officer said.
SP of the MP State Cyber Crime Headquarters Pranay Nagvanshi called the initiative a major step forward. “Victims will no longer worry about where to go for an FIR. A single phone call to 1930 is enough to get an e Zero FIR registered,” he said. Stressing speed, he added, “Cyber fraud happens very fast, and police response must match that speed. This system allows us to immediately issue legal notices to banks, extract CCTV footage, and obtain call data records without delay.”
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