New Delhi, Feb 10 (NationPress) Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday that the government has revoked 12 lakh SIM cards as part of cyber security measures, deactivated the IMEI of 3 lakh mobiles, and apprehended 20,853 individuals by December 2025.

While addressing the National Conference on “Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Dismantling the Ecosystem”, organized by the CBI and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), HM Shah highlighted that numerous government agencies are collaborating effectively to combat cybercrime.

According to Shah, institutions like I4C, State Police forces, CBI, NIA, ED, the Department of Telecommunications, the banking sector, MeitY, RBI, and the judiciary are all making extensive efforts to fight against cybercrime.

He stressed that every institution plays a vital role and that strong coordination among all involved parties is critical for achieving successful outcomes.

The Union Minister mentioned that the initiatives from the CBI and I4C are highly significant, as they will facilitate interconnection among various governmental departments and ensure effective execution of their efforts, leading to anticipated success.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Shah noted that the Digital India initiative has experienced remarkable progress over the past 11 years.

He indicated that the number of internet users in India has surged from 250 million 11 years ago to over 1 billion today, showcasing tremendous growth in the digital landscape. Additionally, broadband connections have increased nearly 16-fold, also surpassing the 1 billion mark.

Shah also mentioned that the cost of 1 gigabyte of data has dropped by 97 percent, greatly enhancing internet accessibility and usage. The significant increase in internet users and the connectivity of Parliament to Panchayats through BharatNet is a notable accomplishment of the Digital India initiative.

Under the BharatNet project, only 546 village panchayats were connected 11 years ago, but today over 200,000 village panchayats have been integrated into the project.

He also highlighted an unprecedented rise in UPI transactions, stating that in 2024 alone, India recorded over 181 billion digital transactions, amounting to a total exceeding Rs 233 trillion.

Home Minister Shah pointed out that cybercrime, which was once perpetrated by individuals, is now being conducted in a more organized manner.

“Cyber criminals are continuously evolving their tactics by employing advanced technologies,” he said.

He reiterated that it is the collective duty of all representatives from agencies and departments involved in fighting cybercrime to thoroughly understand their challenges and commit to reducing vulnerabilities at every level.

Shah called for concrete and coordinated actions to enhance the effectiveness of the fight against cybercrime.

He noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs has implemented a comprehensive and multi-faceted strategy to tackle cybercrime.

This strategy's key components include real-time reporting of cybercrime, a robust network of forensic laboratories, capacity building, research and development, promoting cyber awareness in society, and ensuring cyber hygiene in cyberspace.

Shah emphasized that the goal is to unite all relevant stakeholders, including CBI, NIA, RBI, state police forces, other investigative agencies, and government departments, to establish a coordinated and secure ecosystem.

He stated that such collaboration is vital to effectively combat cybercrime and ensure a safe and trustworthy digital ecosystem in India.

Home Minister Shah also discussed the crucial roles of CBI and NIA in preventing cybercrimes, particularly those originating from outside the country.

He underscored the necessity for robust communication and coordination among all institutions, pointing out that lapses in the “chain of custody” of digital evidence often hinder convictions, posing a significant barrier to justice.

Shah warned that without proactive measures, cyber fraud could have escalated from a mere crime to a national crisis.

Consequently, all stakeholders must act urgently and in unison, whether it involves identifying call centers operating domestically or internationally, conducting awareness initiatives, strengthening the 1930 helpline, minimizing call response times, or enhancing coordination between banks and I4C.

The Home Minister also oversaw an Investiture Ceremony for CBI Officers and inaugurated the new Cybercrime Branch of the CBI. Shri Amit Shah launched the State Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (S4C) dashboard of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs.

On this occasion, the Union Home Secretary, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT), Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Director of CBI, and other senior officials were present.