97% Cyber Crime Complaints Don’t Become FIRs, Centre Flags Gap As Cases Explode | Exclusive

Last Updated:April 20, 2026, 08:49 IST

Official data shows cybercrime complaints grew nearly six-fold between 2021 and 2025, clocking a staggering compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 58 per cent.

In a startling revelation, the Union Government has flagged that only about 1–3 per cent of cybercrime complaints across India are being converted into FIRs, exposing a massive gap between reporting and legal action even as digital crimes explode across the country. The warning comes amid a dramatic surge in complaints logged on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), which have nearly touched 30 lakhs annually, as per the official data reviewed by News18.

Despite this flood of cases, the conversion into formal police cases remains critically low, raising concerns over enforcement, deterrence, and justice delivery.

Official data shows cybercrime complaints grew nearly six-fold between 2021 and 2025, clocking a staggering compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 58 per cent. But FIR registrations have not kept pace. In 2021, around 2.5 per cent of complaints converted into FIRs. In 2024, this reached 2.9 per cent, and in 2025, it dropped sharply to 1.4 per cent (provisional), but it is expected that this figure may go up.

As of December 31, 2025, the national average stood at just about 2.22 per cent. Officials caution that 2025 numbers may rise slightly as pending verifications conclude, but not enough to offset the widening gap.

Centre Pushes States: Fix the System

Calling the situation “serious," the Centre has urged states to urgently improve FIR conversion rates and strengthen on-ground response systems. A key recommendation is the rollout of the e-Zero FIR system, which would allow victims to file FIRs digitally without jurisdictional delays, especially crucial in cyber fraud cases above Rs 10 lakh where time is critical.

Helpline Overload: A Crisis Unfolding

The scale of the crisis is evident from India’s cybercrime helpline 1930, which is now operating under immense pressure. In 2025 alone, the helpline received a staggering 3.24 crore calls, almost one every second.

On average, 88,976 calls were handled daily in 2025, compared to just 26,411 in 2023, more than a threefold jump in two years.

News india 97% Cyber Crime Complaints Don’t Become FIRs, Centre Flags Gap As Cases Explode | Exclusive

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