The Delhi High Court, underscoring the widespread impact of cybercrime as a genuine concern affecting everyone, proposed on Tuesday a set of measures to address the issue.

Among these suggestions is the implementation of a simplified process for filing complaints in such cases, along with an emphasis on increasing public awareness about the importance of tackling this menace.

Further, the High Court emphasized that law enforcement agencies must adapt to address emerging challenges posed by cybercrime. The court stressed the importance of police readiness in dealing with these evolving threats, emphasizing the necessity for law enforcement to stay abreast of new technologies to effectively combat cyber-related offenses.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said, “Cybercrime is a genuine problem today. Everyone is getting troubled. This is something unique happening now. We don’t know what the authorities can do about this. Only awareness can work. Awareness is needed."

The High Court was in the process of hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing the rising incidents of cybercrime and the forging of court orders, including those originating from the Supreme Court. The PIL also brought attention to the misuse of FIRs and arrest warrants to coerce 'settlement money' from unsuspecting citizens who may be entirely innocent.

According to the petitioners, the websites of both central and state cyber cells were reported as inactive, lacking content to raise awareness among the public about the latest cybercrimes occurring in the country. The claim underscores a perceived deficiency in disseminating crucial information and highlights the need for active platforms to educate people about emerging cyber threats.

Expanding on their stance, the petitioners asserted that it is imperative for authorities to conduct awareness campaigns on the issue of cybercrimes. Additionally, they recommended simplifying the procedure for reporting cybercrime complaints to make it more accessible and user-friendly for the general public. 

Scheduled for further hearing on January 30, the High Court directed the Delhi government standing counsel, Santosh Kumar Tripathi, and lawyer Arun Panwar, representing Delhi Police, to explore the feasibility of establishing a straightforward digital mechanism. This mechanism would enable individuals to file cybercrime complaints conveniently through email, emphasizing the court's interest in streamlining the reporting process for the benefit of the public.

Tripathi submitted that a centralised number (1089) is already there and people can lodge complaints on it.

“Suppose someone succeeds in transmitting money. Money has to be blocked immediately. It cannot be done till you have a digital system in place. Otherwise, money will cross the boundaries of this country. You won't be able to reach it,” the court told the police's counsel.

“Even if the money is given through banks, it will go out of the country in 15 minutes. I think they (petitioners) are giving good suggestions. One is to create awareness and the other is to have a (simple) mechanism to lodge complaints,” Justice Manmohan said.

The court also mentioned that nowadays a lot of celebrities are complaining that they never made endorsements, but the same are still coming.