NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH, BILASPUR WPPIL No. 30 of 2024 In the matter of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation, Regarding “Lack of Experts In Range Cyber Police Stations : Cyber Crime Cases Dwindle.” Based On News Item Published In Daily News Paper Dainik Bhaskar, Bilaspur Bhaskar Dated 24-04-2024 As “jsat lkbcj Fkkuksa esa 7 ekg esa flQZ 7 dsl] D;ksafd ,DliVZ dh HkrhZ ugha A”

---- Petitioner Versus

1. The State of Chhattisgarh Through Chief Secretary, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

2. The State of Chhattisgarh Ministry of Home, Through Principal Secretary Home Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur Chhattisgarh.

3. Director General of Police Police Head Quarter, Sector 19, Nawa Raipur Chhattisgarh.

4. Inspector General of Police Range Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

5. Inspector General of Police Range Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

6. Inspector General of Police Range Durg, Chhattisgarh.

7. Inspector General of Police Range Bastar, Chhattisgarh.

8. Inspector General of Police Range Surguja, Chhattisgarh.

9. Superintendent of Police District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

10. Nodal Officer Cyber Cell Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

11. Station House Officer Cyber Crime Cell, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

---- Respondents (Cause-title taken from Case Information System)

For Respondents/State : Mr. R.S. Marhas, Additional Advocate General Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Hon'ble Shr i Ravindra Kumar Agrawa l , Judge

Order on Board

Per Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice

04.07.2024

1. This suo moto PIL has been registered on the basis of news reporting published in “Bilaspur Bhaskar” on 24.04.2024 with a heading “jsat lkbcj Fkkuksa es 7 ekg esa flQZ 7 dsl] D;ksafd ,DliVZ dh HkrhZ ugha**”with sub-headings “[kqn gh cpsa Bxksa ls] izns’k esa flQZ rhu lkbcj ,DliVZ baLisDVj] dkSu djs tkap] “10 vxLr 2023 dks 5 jsat esa gqbZ Fkh lkbcj Fkkuksa dh 'kq:vkr”and “fcykliqj jsat ds 6 ftyksa ds fy, ,d Fkkuk”.

2. The said news report states that the Cyber Police Station has registered only seven cases during the period of seven months because the said Police Station lacks experts in the field and further, for the last three months, not a single FIR has been registered relating to cyber crime.

3. In view of the above, this Court vide order dated 24.04.2024, directed the Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh, Raipur to file his personal affidavit in the present matter where cognizance has been taken by this Court on the basis of the aforesaid news item with respect to lack of experts in the Cyber Police Station for curbing the cyber crime.

4. In compliance of the said order, an affidavit dated 08.05.2024 has been filed by the Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh stating that five police stations established in five Police Ranges in the State are not only meant for registering cyber offences but also to coordinate and assist all such cyber crimes reported to any other police station situated in the State. The Cyber Police Stations have enquired as many as 152 complaints since August2023. The Range Cyber Police Stations, apart from investigating cyber crimes, are also entrusted with several other works and they work as abridge between Police Headquarters and the District for implementing various guidelines issued by the Police Headquarters. Further, the term‘ cyber expert’ is subject to multiple interpretations and there is no such prerequisite for deployment in Cyber Police Stations. The personnel deployed at Cyber Police Stations have quite good experience of working in the field of cyber crime investigation and the allegation of lack of experienced and trained Cyber Crime Experts, is incorrect.

5. The affidavit further goes to show that the news reporting that for all police stations falling under the Bilaspur Range, there is only one cyber Police Station at Bilaspur, is incorrect as Cyber Police Station is one amongst many other platforms available with the victim for registering cyber crime complaints and one of the prominent platform is the National Cyber Cr