From UPI frauds and fake 'digital arrest' calls to morphed photos and frozen bank accounts, cyber cases in Delhi are handled by district cyber police stations, the IFSO unit of the Special Cell and the courts in seven district complexes. This page explains where to report, what the law says and how to protect your money and evidence in the first few hours.
Cyber crime complaints in Delhi can be registered on the national portal cybercrime.gov.in, through helpline 1930 for financial fraud, or with the district cyber police stations of Delhi Police and the IFSO unit of the Special Cell. Cyber Lawyers in Delhi advise on the law, draft the papers and appear for you. Booking a first consultation with an enrolled advocate through Mara Vakil is free.
People in Delhi usually seek cyber law help after money has already left their account. A retired officer in Vasant Kunj is kept on a video call for hours by people posing as CBI or customs officers in a so-called digital arrest. A student in Mukherjee Nagar pays a deposit for a PG room that does not exist, or a trader in Sadar Bazar loses money through a fake supplier on WhatsApp. Others face morphed images, sextortion, fake social media profiles, hacked email accounts or defamatory posts. A growing group comes from the other side: small shopkeepers and gig workers whose bank accounts have been frozen because a disputed payment passed through them, and who now cannot pay rent or wages. Each needs a different mix of police complaint, bank action and court work.
The Information Technology Act, 2000 covers hacking and data damage (Sections 43 and 66), identity theft (Section 66C), cheating by personation using a computer (Section 66D), violation of privacy (Section 66E) and publishing obscene or sexually explicit material (Sections 67 and 67A). For incidents on or after 1 July 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 adds cheating (Section 318, old Section 420 IPC), cheating by personation (Section 319, old 419), extortion (Section 308, old 384), stalking (Section 78, old 354D), criminal intimidation (Section 351, old 506) and defamation (Section 356, old 499 and 500). Procedure follows the BNSS, and electronic evidence is governed by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. Platforms must follow the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, including grievance officers and fast removal of intimate images.
A cyber complaint can be filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling 1930, and Delhi Police routes it to the cyber police station of the district concerned. Serious or organised frauds, cases spread across many states and sensitive matters are often taken up by the IFSO (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) unit of the Special Cell. Once an FIR is registered, the case is heard by the Magistrate court in the district court complex for that police station: Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Karkardooma, Rohini, Dwarka, Saket or Rouse Avenue. Applications for release of frozen bank amounts are also usually made before that Magistrate.
For compensation claims under Section 43 of the IT Act up to Rs 5 crore, the adjudicating officer is the Secretary of the IT Department of the Delhi Government, and appeals go to the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in New Delhi. Civil suits for takedown and injunctions against defamatory content are filed in the district courts or, for high-value suits, on the original side of the Delhi High Court.
Call 1930 or report on the national portal at once, then inform your bank in writing. Quick reporting gives a better chance of the money being frozen before it moves on.
An account frozen because a disputed amount passed through it can often be partly released. A written reply to the police and an application before the Magistrate are the usual routes.
Do not pay. Save screenshots and links, report to the platform and on the portal, and call 181 or 112 if you feel unsafe. Intimate images must be removed by platforms within 24 hours of a complaint.
Cyber cases need an advocate who understands both criminal procedure in the Delhi district courts and how banks, payment apps and platforms work. Ask whether they have handled matters like yours, such as UPI fraud, frozen accounts, online defamation or sextortion, and whether they appear before the Magistrate courts and the Delhi High Court. Check their enrolment number with the Bar Council of Delhi or the State Bar Council where they are enrolled. Share every screenshot and statement in an organised folder with dates. Do not hide anything embarrassing, because the advocate can protect your privacy only if they know the full facts.
Agree in writing what the fee covers, for example drafting complaints, appearing for release of frozen money, or a takedown suit, and take receipts for every payment. Fees depend on the advocate and the work involved. Women, children and people on low income can get free legal aid from the Delhi State Legal Services Authority or the district legal services authority, or through the NALSA helpline 15100. Mara Vakil is free for clients: you describe your matter once, and enrolled advocates who handle cyber matters in Delhi contact you.
On Mara Vakil you describe your matter once and enrolled advocates who handle cyber matters in Delhi can accept it and call you. Mara Vakil charges clients nothing to find or consult advocates. Send your matter
Call 1930 or report on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal immediately and note the acknowledgement number. Inform your bank in writing and block your cards and UPI. Then follow up with your district cyber police station. The sooner you report, the better the chance that the money is frozen in the receiving accounts.
Find out which police station asked for the freeze and why. A written reply with proof that the payment was genuine, such as invoices or sale records, can help. If the police do not release it, an application can be made before the Magistrate of that area. Courts in some cases have limited the freeze to only the disputed amount.
No. There is no such thing as a digital arrest under Indian law. Arrest is a physical act carried out with legal safeguards. Calls claiming to be from Delhi Police, CBI, ED, customs or a court and demanding money or that you stay on camera are fraud. Disconnect and report on 1930.
Under the IT Rules, 2021, platforms must act within 24 hours on a complaint about content showing a person in a sexual or intimate way, including morphed images. Report it through the platform and the national portal, and keep screenshots and links. A complaint to the cyber police station can follow, and a court order can be sought if needed.
Under RBI rules, if the fraud happened due to a breach elsewhere and you report it within three working days, your liability is generally zero. Late reporting or sharing your OTP or PIN can change this. If the bank does not resolve your complaint within 30 days, you can approach the RBI Ombudsman online.
Yes. Criminal defamation is covered by Section 356 BNS, and a complaint is filed before the Magistrate. You can also file a civil suit for injunction and damages in the district court or, for higher-value claims, the Delhi High Court. Truth and fair comment are defences, so your advocate will assess the posts carefully first.
No. Describing your matter and booking a first consultation with an enrolled advocate is free. Any fee for further work is agreed directly between you and the advocate.
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This page gives general information about the law in Delhi, Delhi. It is not legal advice and is not an advertisement or solicitation by any advocate. Laws and court practice change; confirm details with an advocate before acting. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm. Read our disclaimer.
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