SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, April 10: In a major relief for victims of cyber fraud and online scams, the Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to activate a long-pending system where people can file complaints and seek compensation for cyber crimes.
This important step has come after the persistent efforts of a young lawyer, Utkarsh Singh, who moved the court, highlighting that, despite laws being in place for years, people had no practical way to get justice in cyber fraud cases.
System Existed Only on Paper
A division bench comprising Chief Justice M S Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar found that although rules were made as far back as 2003, and even an officer was officially appointed in Jharkhand, the system was not actually working on the ground.
The IT Secretary of Jharkhand has already been designated as the adjudicating officer to handle such cases, but despite this appointment, the mechanism remained largely non-functional.
In simple terms, people who lost money or suffered due to online fraud had no proper platform to file complaints and get compensation.
The High Court made it clear that there was no reason for this delay and ordered the government to start the system immediately.
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What This Means for Common People
Once implemented, this system will allow people to:
- File complaints related to cyber fraud, online scams, data theft, etc.
- Seek compensation for financial loss
- Get their cases heard by a designated officer with legal powers
The court has said this process must begin within one month.
Easier Complaint Process Coming
The court also stressed that filing complaints should be simple and accessible. It suggested setting up an easy online system so that people can register complaints without running from office to office.
At present, complaints can be sent via email, but the court said this facility must be widely publicised so people are aware of it.
Awareness and Public Outreach Ordered
The government has been directed to:
- Inform the public within 15 days through newspapers and other means
- Create clear guidelines on how to file complaints within six months
- Organise awareness drives, especially for students and senior citizens
A Step Towards Fighting Cyber Crime
The court highlighted that cybercrimes—like online fraud, identity theft, and data leaks—are rising rapidly, and people must have an effective way to fight back.
With this order, Jharkhand is now expected to finally put in place a working system where victims of cybercrime can seek justice without unnecessary delays.
