Over 15,000 cybercrime related complaints registered in nine months

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 30: Kamal Prasad Adhikari, a 26-year-old from Sindhuli, has been apprehended by the Cyber Bureau for attempting to blackmail by threatening to make explicit content public. 

Nabaraj Lamichhane, also 26, from Syangja, has been caught for unauthorised access to financial institution websites. The Bureau has also monitored and apprehended individuals engaged in online fraud under the guise of educational activities, including Tirupati Pandey, 22, Doman KC, 20, and Subash Kandel, 20, from Baglung.

These are just a few examples of the prevalent cybercrimes. Criminals now operate discreetly from within closed doors of their homes, making it challenging for law enforcement to detect crimes committed within the confines of one’s home.

However, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau remains vigilant, monitoring and investigating such criminals. Many perpetrators who engage in crimes using technology have been brought to book. Yet, there has been a surge in cybercrimes lately, posing new challenges to law enforcement agency like the Bureau and other agencies of Nepal Police.

According to Bureau statistics, from the current fiscal year from last July until now, a staggering 15,006 cases of cyber offence have been reported. Of these, 73 individuals have been busted, while some have been given warnings and agreements forged for understanding between the victims and perpetrators, according to the Bureau.

Senior Superintendent of Police and Chief of the Bureau Nabinda Aryal emphasised active and cyber literacy roles of the public while using and operating social media would be more accountable and helpful to reduce such crimes. 

For this, the Bureau can only create awareness about cybercrimes, ensuring cyber security, and conducting investigations, he said.  

SSP Aryal highlighted that among the reported cases, misuse of social media platforms like Facebook and Messenger accounted for the majority.

The increasing sophistication and variety of cybercrimes present new challenges for law enforcement, said Deputy Inspector General and Spokesperson for the Nepal Police Headquarters, Bhim Prasad Dhakal.

The Cyber Bureau was established in June, 2018 aimed to address these challenges and enhance the prevention and successful investigation of cybercrimes, said Dhakal.

According to Dhakal, among the complaints registered in these nine months, there are most complaints about misuse of Facebook and Messenger on social networks. 

According to the Cyber Bureau, 12,296 complaints of abuse were received through Facebook and Messenger during this period.

During the months, 18 cases related to Viber, 9 to Emo, 51 to YouTube, 724 to WhatsApp, 10 to Twitter, 686 to Instagram, 10 to website hacking, 678 to TikTok, 93 to email, 266 to e-Sewa and 165 to other financial institutions were registered. 

In the fiscal year 2079/080 B.S., 9,013 applications were registered in the Bureau. Similarly, 4,686 applications were registered in the fiscal year 2078/79. Among the applications received, 74 cases were registered in the current fiscal year (to end by July,2024), 127 in the fiscal year 2079/080 and 132 in the year 2078/079.

Cyber Bureau Spokesperson Superintendent of Police Deepak Raj Awasthi said that the number of applications related to cybercrime was increasing every year.

It is common to commit crimes such as putting a person’s face in different types of nude photos on different social networks. “Criminals who publish obscene photos and videos on social media are also active,” said Awasthi. 

He stressed the need for individuals to exercise caution online and report any suspicious activities to the authorities promptly. As cybercrimes swell, collaboration between law enforcement and the public becomes crucial in combating this modern-day threat, he added.