In a decisive move to fast-track justice for victims of high-value cyber fraud, the Ministry of Home Affairs has launched the e-Zero FIR initiative as a pilot project in Delhi. The ambitious step—spearheaded by Union Home Minister Amit Shah—is designed to automatically register FIRs for cyber financial crimes above ₹10 lakh, reported through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or the helpline 1930.
“This is a major stride towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Cyber-Secure Bharat,” said Amit Shah in a post on X, highlighting the initiative’s potential to revolutionize the fight against cybercriminals by making investigations faster and more effective.
The mechanism integrates the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Delhi Police’s e-FIR platform, and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), ensuring complaints lodged at NCRP or via 1930 are immediately escalated. Once a case meets the financial threshold, it automatically becomes a Zero FIR—a legal provision allowing FIRs to be registered regardless of jurisdiction—at Delhi’s e-Crime Police Station.
Complainants will have three days to convert the Zero FIR into a regular FIR at the cybercrime police station relevant to their area, ensuring follow-up and localized investigation.
Behind this digital push is the newly enacted Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), under which FIRs can now be filed electronically without regard to jurisdiction—an advancement expected to curb delays, red tape, and territorial disputes in handling cyber frauds.
Cybercrime complaints, especially those involving large financial losses, often hit a wall due to delays in FIR registration and lack of inter-agency coordination. This move, officials say, could significantly improve money recovery rates and prosecution of online fraudsters.
The initiative, while currently confined to Delhi, is expected to roll out across the country in phases, bringing much-needed relief to cyber fraud victims nationwide.
As cyber threats rise in both scale and sophistication, this e-Zero FIR framework marks a vital step in India’s digital law enforcement evolution. For now, Delhi leads the charge.
