Mumbai, 23 June (HS): Maharashtra reported 10,505 cyber

financial fraud cases between January 2025 and May 2026, resulting in the

arrest of 2,379 people, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state

legislative assembly on Tuesday. In a written response to many members'

questions, Fadnavis, who handles the home portfolio, stated that Ahilyanagar

district received 5,141 complaints in 2025 including digital arrest scams,

share trading frauds, hotel rating scams, and harmful APK and PDF files,

leading in losses of Rs 37.76 crore. He claimed transactions worth Rs 7.02

crore have been placed on hold. Fadnavis said that a retired government

employee from Kopargaon in Ahilyanagar district was conned out of Rs 87.3 lakh

after being threatened with digital arrest. On April 29, one

accused was apprehended, and a charge sheet was filed.

He informed the House that Rs 42.18 lakh of the fraudulent

sum had been restored to the complainant as a result of court orders, and that

legal actions were continuing to repay the remaining amount. In another case, a

62-year-old Kalamboli man in Navi Mumbai was reportedly defrauded of Rs 1.54

crore in a digital arrest scam. Four people have been arrested; three are

already free on bail, while one is still in judicial custody. The reply states

that a chargesheet was filed in the matter on June 9. Fadnavis said 30

incidents of cyber fraud against older folks were filed in Nagpur between

January and May of this year.

The city of Pune registered 536 cyber financial fraud incidents

totaling Rs 200 crore in the first five months of 2026, while 17 cases

involving bogus messages, links, and APK files provided in the name of

Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) resulted in losses of Rs 88 lakh, according

to the chief minister. According to the written response, Mumbai registered

4,825 cyber financial fraud incidents in 2025, with 1,410 offenders detained.

The theft totalled Rs 1,031 crore, with transactions worth Rs 110 crore

stopped. In 2025, Nagpur registered 136 cyber financial fraud cases and

arrested 83 offenders. The overall scam amount was Rs 82 crore, with Rs 3 crore

put on hold.

The CM stated that the state has launched the Maharashtra

online Security Project at Mahape in Navi Mumbai, with an emphasis on

safeguarding women, children, and senior citizens from online fraud. He stated

that 50 district cyber laboratories and police stations have been outfitted

with contemporary infrastructure to investigate technologically complicated

crimes, and workers are receiving online training in forensic tools.

The Maharashtra Cyber Office has been placed directly under the Director

General of Police (DGP) to increase its efficacy and reach, according to

Fadnavis. He stated that the government will conduct a state-wide cyber awareness

campaign via WhatsApp and will continue to urge people to report cybercrime via

the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the hotline number 1930.

Cyber warnings and awareness visuals are being sent via X,

Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, while cyber safety movies are being shown on

590 digital displays placed in 34 key railway stations throughout 23 districts,

according to the response. The Mumbai police are also doing awareness campaigns

under the #CyberSafeMumbai campaign, which includes well-known musicians,

athletes, and actresses, according to the statement.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi