New Delhi, Feb 09: Moving beyond literature to urgent contemporary concerns, the 14th edition of Delhi Literature Festival hosted a significant awareness session on cybercrime, focusing on the alarming rise of so-called ‘digital arrest’ scams and financial frauds in India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The session featured Nishant Kumar, Director of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), in conversation with RJ Purkhaa Tak. Kumar explained how fraudsters increasingly impersonate police officers or officials from investigative agencies, falsely claiming that individuals are under investigation or ‘digitally arrested’. Victims are then coerced into transferring money under the pretext of legal verification, case settlement, or account clearance.
He categorically clarified that no legitimate police officer or law enforcement authority conducts interrogations or demands financial settlements over phone calls or messages. “If someone claims over a call that you are under digital arrest or asks for money to settle a case, understand clearly that it is fraud. No police agency operates in this manner,” he stated.
Shri Nishant Kumar further observed that educated individuals and professionals in senior positions are frequently targeted, as cybercriminals deliberately exploit their reputational concerns and fear of legal consequences. “Fraudsters create a sense of urgency. They say act immediately or face arrest, or that your accounts will be frozen. This fear overrides rational thinking. That is exactly what they rely upon,” he explained.
Reflecting on India’s digital transformation, he noted that the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of building a Digital India has been a significant success. However, he cautioned that while digitalisation progressed rapidly, public awareness did not always grow at the same pace, creating vulnerabilities. “Digital India is a matter of pride for us. But with rapid digitalisation, understanding must grow equally fast. Wherever there is a gap in awareness, cybercrime finds space,” he said.
To address this challenge, the Government of India established the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2019. Kumar further explained that policing is constitutionally a State subject, yet cybercrime does not recognise state or national boundaries. Offenders may operate from one state or even another country while targeting victims elsewhere. Effective response, therefore, requires coordination among states and collaboration across sectors such as banking, fintech, and telecommunications. “I4C was created to build that coordination and shared understanding. Cybercrime cannot be tackled in isolation; it demands collective institutional effort,” he added.
The session also highlighted I4C’s official cyber safety awareness initiative, Cyber Dost, which disseminates alerts, advisories, and educational videos on platforms including LinkedIn to educate citizens about phishing, financial fraud, and cyberbullying. Participants were advised to report cybercrimes immediately by dialling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or by filing a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in).
By convening this critical discussion, the Delhi Literature Festival underscored that in an increasingly digital society, awareness and vigilance are indispensable. The session reinforced the message that technological progress must be accompanied by informed citizenship, institutional coordination, and collective responsibility to ensure a secure digital future.