By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS
Karnataka has launched the country’s first Cyber Command Centre, a unified body designed to combat the rapid rise in cybercrimes across the state.
Established under the Cyber Crimes Prevention Unit (CPCU), this centre is set to redefine how law enforcement tackles digital threats in an increasingly tech-driven world.
In just the first eight months of 2024, Bengaluru’s residents lost over ₹1,242.7 crore to cyber fraud, surpassing the combined losses of the last three years. With an average of 1,544 cases reported monthly, Bengaluru has witnessed a doubling of financial losses compared to 2023.
Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, Karnataka became the first Indian state to appoint a dedicated Director General of Police (DGP) for cybersecurity. This landmark move is part of the state’s Cyber Security Policy 2024, which earmarks ₹103 crore over five years to strengthen digital defenses, promote ethical tech practices, and empower citizens—especially women—through targeted cybersecurity training and awareness initiatives.
The Cyber Command Centre, headquartered at the CID building on Palace Road, is equipped to combat a wide range of cyber threats. These include financial frauds, betting and gambling scams, online stalking, sextortion, identity theft, deepfake crimes, ransomware, and cyberterrorism. It will also address newer threats like digital arrests and Aadhaar-enabled payment frauds, which have recently targeted unsuspecting users through deceptive means.
Recent cybercrime trends in the state reveal the rising sophistication of attacks. From fake stock market investment schemes targeting novice investors to fraudulent courier service scams and job offer traps, cybercriminals are exploiting both technological loopholes and human psychology.
In January 2025, Karnataka’s Kaveri 2.0—the online property registration portal—became the latest victim of this wave. What was initially believed to be a technical fault turned out to be a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, as confirmed by investigations from the Revenue and E-Governance Departments. The attack overwhelmed servers with fake account activity and malicious requests, disrupting services for days and highlighting the vulnerability of India’s digital public infrastructure.
With over 52,000 cybercrime cases reported in the past four years, Karnataka leads among southern states in cybercrime volume. Cyber offences now account for 20% of all reported crimes in the state—a staggering reflection of how deeply cyber threats have penetrated daily life.
In a move to strengthen frontline defense, the state has redesignated 43 CEN (Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics) police stations as full-fledged cybercrime units. Combined with those under the CID and Bengaluru Police Commissionerate, this brings the total to 45 cybercrime police stations, all unified under the CPCU.
Senior IPS officer Pronab Mohanty has been appointed Director General of the Cyber Command, which includes 193 sanctioned posts across various designations. The unit is supported by an annual budget of ₹12.93 crore for salaries and ₹62.25 lakh for equipment and operations.
The Cyber Command’s mandate is governed by Section 43 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, along with other applicable laws. It will be responsible for prevention, detection, and prosecution of cyber offences, with oversight from an Empowered Committee and a Special Empowered Committee to ensure policy and operational alignment.
