Delhi tops e-Zero FIR count with 6,115 cyber fraud cases since May 2025
Synopsis
India's e-Zero FIR system for cyber financial fraud has seen Delhi register a commanding 6,115 cases since May 2025 — but with only 18 states and UTs on board and Bihar logging just 12 cases, the data tabled in Lok Sabha reveals a starkly uneven national rollout of a mechanism designed to automate justice for digital fraud victims.
Key Takeaways
Delhi recorded 6,115 e-Zero FIRs for cyber financial fraud since May 2025 — the highest in the country.
Chandigarh ranked second with 4,174 e-Zero FIRs over the same period.
Only 18 states and Union Territories have adopted the e-Zero FIR platform so far.
Complaints on the NCRP or via helpline 1930 auto-generate an e-Zero FIR; complainants must visit the police station within 3 days to convert it to a regular FIR.
MoS Bandi Sanjay Kumar confirmed that follow-up action — chargesheets, arrests, resolution — remains the responsibility of state and UT law enforcement.
Adoption ranges from 6,115 cases in Delhi to just 12 in Bihar, highlighting uneven implementation across states.
The Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, 28 July that Delhi and Chandigarh have recorded the highest number of e-Zero FIRs for cyber financial fraud since the platform's rollout — 6,115 and 4,174 respectively since May 2025. Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar shared the figures in response to a parliamentary query, offering the most comprehensive state-wise breakdown of the system to date.
How the e-Zero FIR System Works
Under Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, any information about a cognisable offence can be reported orally or through electronic communication to a police station officer. Building on this provision, the Centre has established a dedicated platform enabling states and Union Territories to register e-Zero FIRs specifically for cyber financial fraud complaints.
Complaints crossing a financial loss threshold — as determined by each state or UT — that are filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or via the cyber helpline '1930' automatically trigger an e-Zero FIR at the state's e-Crime Police Station. The FIR is then transferred to the relevant territorial cyber crime police station. Complainants must visit the concerned station within three days to convert the Zero FIR into a regular FIR.
State-Wise Registration Data
As of the data presented in Parliament, 18 states and Union Territories have begun filing e-Zero FIRs. Beyond Delhi and Chandigarh, Uttarakhand has registered 552 such FIRs since March 2026, while Goa recorded 446 since January 2026.
Rajasthan logged 251 cases since January 2026. More recent adopters include Assam (223 cases since June 2026) and Haryana (165 cases since June 2026). Maharashtra registered 131 cases, Tamil Nadu recorded 39, and Bihar logged 12 — all since July 2026.
Centre's Role and Constitutional Limits
MoS Bandi Sanjay Kumar was careful to note that 'Police' and 'Public Order' remain state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Centre's role is therefore limited to providing the platform infrastructure; the actual conversion of complaints into FIRs, filing of chargesheets, arrests, and resolution of cases rests entirely with state and UT law enforcement agencies.
Notably, the wide disparity in registration numbers across states — from Delhi's 6,115 to Bihar's 12 — points to uneven adoption of the system, raising questions about awareness, training, and digital infrastructure at the state level.
What This Signals for Cyber Crime Enforcement
The e-Zero FIR mechanism represents a structural shift in how India handles cyber financial fraud complaints, moving from manual, station-based FIR registration to an automated, portal-driven process. This comes amid a sharp rise in cyber fraud incidents nationally, with the NCRP and helpline 1930 serving as the primary intake channels. With only 18 of India's 28 states and 8 UTs on board, significant gaps in coverage remain. Wider adoption and consistent enforcement will be critical as digital payment ecosystems and online financial activity continue to expand.
Point of View
115 cases against Bihar's 12 — both states that joined the platform — suggests the gap is not just about crime rates but about institutional readiness and political will at the state level. The Centre can build the pipeline, but it cannot force states to use it effectively, and with 'Police' a state subject, accountability for patchy adoption is diffuse. The three-day window for complainants to convert a Zero FIR into a regular FIR also places a burden on victims who may already be in distress, potentially creating a drop-off point that quietly deflates the system's apparent efficiency numbers.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an e-Zero FIR for cyber financial fraud?
An e-Zero FIR is an automatically generated First Information Report triggered when a cyber financial fraud complaint crossing a state-defined financial loss threshold is filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or via helpline 1930. It is registered at the state's e-Crime Police Station and transferred to the relevant territorial cyber crime station. The complainant must visit the station within three days to convert it into a regular FIR.
Which state or UT has registered the most e-Zero FIRs?
Delhi has recorded the highest number of e-Zero FIRs — 6,115 — since May 2025, followed by Chandigarh with 4,174 over the same period, according to data shared in the Lok Sabha on 28 July.
How many states have adopted the e-Zero FIR system?
As of the data presented in Parliament, 18 states and Union Territories have started filing e-Zero FIRs in cyber crime cases specifically for cyber financial fraud. The remaining states and UTs are yet to join the platform.
What legal provision enables e-Zero FIRs?
Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, allows information about a cognisable offence to be reported orally or through electronic communication to a police station officer, forming the legal basis for the e-Zero FIR mechanism.
Who is responsible for acting on e-Zero FIRs after registration?
Since 'Police' and 'Public Order' are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, state and UT law enforcement agencies are responsible for converting complaints into FIRs, filing chargesheets, making arrests, and resolving cases. The Centre's role is limited to providing the platform.
