Bihar cybercrime crackdown: CS, DGP review state preparedness; 507 arrested
Synopsis
Bihar's top bureaucrat and police chief have put four of the state's districts — including Nawada and Patna — on a national cybercrime watchlist, while simultaneously ordering a blitz on fraudulent SIM card issuers and mule bank accounts. With 507 arrests, ₹224.53 lakh restored to victims, and a 98%-plus resolution rate on unauthorised bank debits, the state is signalling it is shifting from reactive policing to a structured digital enforcement framework.
Key Takeaways
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and DGP Vinay Kumar chaired a statewide cybercrime review on 7 August 2025 via video conference.
Authorities verified 6,251 mule bank accounts , filed proceedings against 702 individuals , and arrested 507 accused persons . ₹224.53 lakh ordered restored to victims across 5,642 cases with prompt police action.
Nawada (Rank 2) , Nalanda (Rank 4) , Patna (Rank 7) , and Sheikhpura (Rank 15) flagged as national cybercrime hotspot districts.
Bihar has resolved more than 98% of unauthorised bank debit complaints and processed 90.22% of interstate CIAR requests.
A special statewide drive ordered against outlets issuing SIM cards on forged documents .
Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and Director General of Police Vinay Kumar on Friday, 7 August jointly chaired a statewide video-conference review with District Magistrates (DMs), Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to evaluate the state's cybercrime preparedness and enforce compliance with directions from the 52nd PRAGATI review meeting. The high-level session underscored Bihar's escalating battle against digital fraud, with multiple districts already identified as national cybercrime hotspots.
Key Directives from the Review
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit stressed that shielding citizens from cyber fraud must remain the administration's foremost priority. He directed officials to ensure the national cybercrime helpline '1930' is prominently displayed across high-visibility touchpoints — including electricity bills, mobile payment and recharge applications, Sudha milk packaging and parlours, municipal digital hoardings, and LED display boards in crowded public spaces across the state.
Amrit also mandated that district administrations regularly organise cyber awareness programmes — branded 'Cyber Tuesday' — in schools, colleges, and other educational institutions to educate students and the general public on online fraud and digital safety.
Scale of the Crackdown
Officials briefed the meeting on enforcement actions taken so far. Authorities have verified 6,251 mule bank accounts, initiated legal proceedings against 702 individuals, and arrested 507 accused persons as part of the drive against organised cybercrime networks. Additionally, more than 4,221 Bihar Police personnel have received specialised training in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity.
The review noted that 16,593 cases had been processed to facilitate money recovery for victims. Prompt police action in 5,642 cases led to orders restoring ₹224.53 lakh to defrauded individuals. Bihar has also resolved more than 98% of complaints related to unauthorised bank debits — a figure officials cited as a benchmark achievement.
Bihar's Cybercrime Hotspot Districts
The meeting flagged that Nawada (Rank 2), Nalanda (Rank 4), Patna (Rank 7), and Sheikhpura (Rank 15) are among India's identified cybercrime hotspot districts. Patna was separately flagged as a major hub for cyber fraud involving ATM and cheque-based cash withdrawals. Police officials were directed to maintain heightened surveillance and take swift action in these vulnerable zones.
Digital Infrastructure and Interstate Cooperation
Under the Sahyog portal, 75.65% of URLs identified for hosting illegal or harmful cyber content have been successfully removed. Bihar Police has processed 90.22% of interstate Crime and Investigation Assistance Requests (CIAR) received from other states — reflecting a stronger inter-jurisdictional coordination posture.
Next Steps
The Chief Secretary directed officials to expedite the registration of e-Zero FIRs in cyber fraud cases involving losses exceeding ₹1 lakh and ensure prompt conversion into regular FIRs for investigation. District Magistrates were instructed to accelerate the freezing of mule bank accounts and facilitate speedier victim restitution through District Level Bankers' Committee (DLBC) meetings. The session concluded with a directive to launch a statewide special drive against agents and retail outlets allegedly issuing SIM cards on the basis of forged or fraudulent documents — a key vector in cyber-enabled financial crime.
Point of View
Two of which rank in the national top five, are seeing concentrated enforcement or just concentrated reporting. With Patna flagged separately for ATM and cheque-based fraud — decidedly offline vectors — Bihar's cybercrime problem is more hybrid than purely digital, and the state's response will need to match that complexity.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Bihar cybercrime review meeting held on 7 August about?
Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and DGP Vinay Kumar chaired a statewide video-conference review on 7 August to assess the state's cybercrime preparedness and enforce compliance with directions from the 52nd PRAGATI meeting. The session covered enforcement data, hotspot districts, victim restitution, and new directives on SIM card fraud.
Which Bihar districts are identified as national cybercrime hotspots?
Nawada (Rank 2), Nalanda (Rank 4), Patna (Rank 7), and Sheikhpura (Rank 15) are among India's identified cybercrime hotspot districts, according to the review. Patna was additionally flagged as a major hub for ATM and cheque-based cyber fraud.
What is the '1930' helpline and how is Bihar promoting it?
1930 is the national cybercrime helpline through which victims of financial cyber fraud can immediately report incidents and seek assistance. Bihar has directed officials to display the number on electricity bills, mobile payment apps, Sudha milk packaging, parlours, municipal hoardings, and LED display boards across the state.
How much money has been restored to cybercrime victims in Bihar?
Prompt police action in 5,642 cases led to court orders restoring ₹224.53 lakh to fraud victims. Separately, 16,593 cases were processed to facilitate broader money recovery across the state.
What action is Bihar taking against fraudulent SIM card issuers?
The review concluded with a directive to launch a statewide special drive against agents and retail outlets allegedly issuing SIM cards on forged or fraudulent documents. This targets a key enabler of cyber-enabled financial crime in the state.
