Cybercrimes registered under the IT Act shot up by over 50% across the country between 2012 and 2013, shows the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The maximum offenders came from the 18-30 age group. Among states, the highest incidents of cybercrime took place in Maharashtra (907) followed by Uttar Pradesh (682) and Andhra Pradesh (651).
The maximum arrests for cybercrimes under the IT Act took place in Maharashtra: 426. Andhra Pradesh was a distant second with 296 arrests. Uttar Pradesh was third at 283 arrests.
In percentage terms, the state that saw the most dramatic increase in cases registered under the IT Act was Uttarakhand at 475% (from 4 cases to 23); Assam a close second with 450% (from 28 cases to 154). Interestingly, the picture postcard union territory, Andaman and Nicobar islands, registered an eye-popping increase of 800% (two cases in 2012 to 18 in 2013) in the same category.
Trends in the report show that the maximum cases of cybercrimes in 2013 were for "hacking with computer systems". Transmission of obscene messages, or "obscene publication/transmission in electronic form" came a distant second in the category. A total 2,516 cases were registered in 2013 for hacking with computer systems with 1,011 arrests. The numbers for "obscene publications/transmission in electronic form", stood at 1,203 cases registered, with 737 arrests. Offences under "hacking of computer systems" are calculated under the two subheads of "loss/damage to computer resources/ utility" and "hacking".
Cyberlawyer Pavan Duggal says that the trends reveal a "maturing of the country's cybercrime economy." "Hacking is no longer done to assert technological superiority, but for monetary gains," says Duggal, pointing to the case of hacker Amit Tiwari from Pune, who was arrested earlier this year for compromising over a 1,000 email accounts both in India and abroad. He was a part of a global network of hackers.
The NCRB data shows that cybercrimes registered under the IT Act rose sharply by 51.5% from 2012 to 2013 and those registered under the Indian Penal Code, by 122.5% for the same time period. If taken together, they would constitute an increase of 63.73 % overall. Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat said that cases where the IT Act and the IPC are used together, are counted within ambit of the IT Act, along with cases exclusively under the IT Act.
Only 23.5%of the cybercrime cases were registered under the IPC last year, while the majority - 76.5% were under the IT Act. Section 81 of the IT Act enshrines what is called the "overriding effect", that is, the IT Act would prevail in case of a conflict between the general law and the IT Act. It reads: "The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force."
According to the NCRB report, of the total 2,098 arrests made under the IT Act in 2013, 1,190 were between the ages of 18 and 30. 45 were below the age of 18. Rakshit Tandon, advisor at the cybercrime cell, Gurgaon Police, says that this is largely a result of the younger generation lacking "cyberhygiene and cyberetiquette."
"I have seen in my interactions and workshops with young people that internet and mobile are the first tools they use for harassment through social media or through pornographic websites. Even for crimes like hacking, there is very little guidance for young people who enroll in 'ethical hacking' courses, and then later get involved in crimes instead," says Tandon.
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