Telangana Police have facilitated the refund of ₹139.68 crore to 24,189 cyber fraud victims in 2026 so far, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) Director Shikha Goel announced on Sunday, 13 September 2026. The disclosure underscores Telangana's growing role as a national benchmark in cyber-fraud financial recovery.

Lok Adalat Drive Yields ₹42.28 Crore

At the recently held national Lok Adalat in Hyderabad, the TGCSB — in coordination with the Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TSLSA), banks, digital payment service providers, and police units across the state — successfully facilitated refunds of ₹42.28 crore to 3,896 victims.

Among the participating units, Cyberabad emerged as the top performer, returning ₹14.19 crore to 942 victims. The TGCSB itself ranked second, facilitating ₹10.55 crore to 41 victims. Malkajgiri came third with ₹5.27 crore refunded to 1,024 victims, while Hyderabad police returned ₹5.02 crore to 530 victims and Suryapet police recovered ₹0.76 crore for 34 victims.

MHA's Money Restoration Module Accelerates Relief

Beyond the Lok Adalat mechanism, the TGCSB has been actively leveraging the Money Restoration Module (MRM), launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in May 2026. Operational in Telangana since June 2026, the MRM allows victims to receive refunds without requiring a court order — significantly compressing the recovery timeline.

As of 12 September 2026, ₹27.23 crore had been refunded to 9,355 victims through the MRM. Combined with Lok Adalat recoveries, a total of 13,251 victims have received financial relief in 2026 through these two channels, Goel stated.

Cumulative Impact Since Inception

The TGCSB has facilitated refunds of ₹514.93 crore to 73,204 victims since its inception — a cumulative figure that places Telangana among the most active state-level cyber-fraud recovery bodies in the country. This comes amid a sharp national rise in digital payment fraud, with cybercrime complaints to the national helpline running at record levels in 2026.

Notably, the MRM's court-free refund process represents a structural improvement over the Lok Adalat model, which — while effective — requires judicial scheduling and can delay disbursement by weeks. The combination of both routes is credited with keeping Telangana's recovery rate among the highest in India.

Advisory for Citizens and Victims

Director Goel urged all cybercrime victims to apply for refunds through the MRM portal. The TGCSB has also renewed its advisory for citizens: never share OTPs, PINs, passwords, or banking details with unknown individuals; verify customer care numbers exclusively through official websites; and avoid clicking on suspicious links sent via SMS, email, WhatsApp, or social media platforms.

In the event of cyber fraud, citizens are advised to immediately call the 1930 Cyber Helpline or file a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in within the 'Golden Hour'. Prompt reporting, officials stress, significantly increases the probability of freezing and recovering defrauded funds.

With the MRM now gaining traction and Lok Adalat cycles continuing, the TGCSB has indicated it will push to widen both mechanisms across all districts in the months ahead.