On an average, at least three cases of cyber crime are reported in Bengaluru every day. The latest to be included in the list is Channapatna MLA C.P. Yogeshwar.
The perpetrator allegedly hacked into his back account and, on March 17 and 18, transferred ₹1.90 lakh to other accounts. The money was withdrawn from ATMs in Mumbai and Pune almost immediately.
According to the police, Mr. Yogeshwar claims to have received a mail from the State Bank of India (SBI), in which he hold an account, informing him about the withdrawal. He blocked the card and lodged a complaint at Banashankari Police Station on March 19. A case was registered under Section 420 of IPC and the IT Act.
A senior police officer said, “We have sought details from the SBI about the transactions. We have also sought help from the cyber crime cell to track the culprits.”
Cyber crime is fast becoming a menace, say police sources. An indication is the closure of 680 fake bank accounts since January 2017. The accounts were being used by fraudsters to deposit money stolen from legitimate accounts. Last year, 3,000 such accounts were closed.
“Cyber crime is on the rise as more people are adopting cashless transactions. It is time policemen trained in cyber crime detection are posted in every police station in the State,” said a senior police officer.
