New Delhi: In a major move aimed at strengthening India’s cybercrime response mechanism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced the launch of the e-Zero FIR initiative, a transformative digital step that will allow victims of cyber financial frauds to lodge complaints without worrying about jurisdictional limitations. The initiative, launched as a pilot project in Delhi, will soon be rolled out nationwide.
The e-Zero FIR system, developed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), will automatically convert complaints lodged through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the helpline 1930 into First Information Reports (FIRs). Initially applicable to cases involving cyber frauds of ₹10 lakh or more, the facility will later be expanded to include all financial cybercrimes.
“Cybersecure Bharat” Vision
Taking to social media platform X, Home Minister Amit Shah stated, “The Modi government is bolstering the cybersecurity grid to build a cyber-secure Bharat. The e-Zero FIR initiative will drive investigations and swiftly crack down on cybercriminals.”
Shah had directed the implementation of the initiative following a recent review meeting on the challenges faced by cybercrime victims, especially in the timely recovery of lost funds and delay in registering FIRs due to jurisdictional confusion.
How e-Zero FIR Works
The new system integrates three key platforms-
- NCRP (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal) – for registering cybercrime complaints
- Delhi Police’s e-FIR system
- Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) maintained by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
Under the pilot, when a complaint involving financial loss above ₹10 lakh is made via 1930 or NCRP, a zero FIR is automatically filed at the e-Crime Police Station, Delhi. This FIR is then electronically routed to the appropriate territorial cybercrime police station for investigation.
Victims can later visit the police station within three days to get the zero FIR converted into a regular FIR, ensuring procedural compliance under the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Cybercrime on the Rise: The Need for Speedy Action
According to a March 12, 2025 reply in the Rajya Sabha, the MHA revealed that since its launch in 2021, the I4C’s Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System had received over 13.4 lakh complaints, involving frauds worth thousands of crores. Timely action by I4C helped save over ₹4,386 crore from being siphoned off.
In another statement, the total value of cyber frauds reported on NCRP was estimated to be over ₹36,450 crore.
Benefits and Future Expansion
The e-Zero FIR model aims to-
- Streamline reporting of cyber frauds, removing jurisdictional hurdles
- Improve conversion of complaints into actionable FIRs
- Enable quicker money recovery
- Strengthen tracking and prosecution of cybercriminals
MHA said the initiative “will facilitate punitive action against cybercriminals and help restore money lost by victims.”
With cybercrimes rising rapidly and financial frauds becoming increasingly sophisticated and pan-India in execution, this tech-driven legal innovation is expected to significantly improve India’s cyber law enforcement capabilities.
What’s Next
After the pilot phase in Delhi, the e-Zero FIR system is expected to be gradually extended to all states and Union Territories, aligning with the Centre’s vision of creating a technology-enabled, responsive cybercrime policing system.
