AGARTALA, Sept 4 (TIWN): With the increased Internet usage, incidents of cyber crime and phishing in the state are on the rise. As per latest data, a total of 35 phishing (e-mail fraud) cases had already been reported in the first 8 months of 2015.There have been incidents reported by law enforcement agencies on the hacking of email accounts and posting of objectionable content, including videos, on the Internet, especially on social networking websites, damaging the reputation of individuals. A large number of phishing incidents leading to the hacking of bank accounts have also been. "The trend of crime in Agartala has changed in last few years. Criminals have become more tech-savvy and the cops are having a difficult time in tracing them as technology allergic Chief Minister cum Home Minister never agrees on modernizing Tripura Police with latest technology and Tech savvy officials, Engineers. Even though we are planning to revamp the cyber police cell but little help from higher-ups. At present, all the cybercrime-related cases are being monitored by officers who are not at all well trained due to apathy of Chief Minister and current DGP” said a senior official.

The Information Technology Act, 2000, had already been amended by the IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, to provide a legal framework to address prevalent cyber crimes, said a police officer of cyber crime cell adding  the law now provided stringent punishment ranging from imprisonment of three years to life imprisonment and fines for various acts of cyber crime, including tampering with computer source documents, hacking of computers and publishing of obscene information.

Most of the complainants are misguided by the local police as they ask them to visit the cybercrime cell operational at the state police headquarters. Whenever anyone has any cybercrime-related problem, he/she has to lodge an FIR with local police station concerned only. The cybercrime cell at the police headquarters has no power to lodge FIR. Instead, the police station heads forward any such FIR to the headquarters.