Punjab Police Launch e-Zero FIR for Cyber Frauds

Complaints involving fraud of Rs 1 crore or more will be routed to the State Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali for registration and investigation.

DGP Yadav said the mechanism is intended to remove delays in FIR registration and to enable immediate steps to freeze bank accounts, digital wallets and other payment instruments linked to the fraud, preserve electronic evidence, coordinate with financial intermediaries and begin investigation promptly so that recovery prospects are maximised.

“The first few hours after a cyber financial fraud are the most critical for tracing and freezing funds. By enabling automatic registration, the e-zero FIR system empowers investigating officers to take urgent legal and technical measures without procedural delays,” he stated.

Under the new arrangement, complainants will receive immediate confirmation of the e-zero FIR registration, along with details of the Cyber Crime Police Station handling the case, the name of the investigating officer and the steps required to complete statutory formalities under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

The State Cyber Crime Division will monitor implementation across Punjab to ensure timely registration, transfer, investigation and supervisory oversight of cases falling under the scheme.

Officials present the e-zero FIR process as a response to the time-sensitive nature of cyber financial crime, where rapid freezing of funds and preservation of digital trails are essential to recovery. By linking national reporting channels directly to local cyber crime units through CCTNS, the system seeks to compress the interval between complaint and formal investigative action.