Cyber Law - Trends and Developments in India PDF

Cyber Law: Trends and Developments in India 1
INDIAN CYBERLAW ON CYBERCRIMES
Mr. Pavan Duggal∗
India is on the move. As the nation is progressing, there are

numerous changes that are happening in the legal regime regulation
Information Technology in India.
There have been certain important changes that have been made
in the existing information technology legislation in our country.
These changes are particularly important since they impact all
companies using computers, computer systems, computer networks,
communication devices as well as data and information in the
electronic form.1
The Information Technology Amendment Bill, 2008 was passed by

the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in December, 2008 and the said
amendments came into effect from 27th October, 2009.2 Sweeping
changes have been made in the existing Indian cyber law, namely the
Information Technology Act, 2000.3
The Information Technology Act, 20004 (hereinafter the IT Act,

2000) is India’s mother legislation regulating the use of computers,
computer systems and computer networks as also data and
information in the electronic format. The said legislation has provided
for the legality of the electronic format as well as electronic contracts.
This legislation has touched varied aspects pertaining to electronic
authentication, digital signatures, cybercrimes and liability of
network service providers.

∗
Advocate, Supreme Court of India; President, cyberlaws.net; President, Cyber Law
Asia; Head, Pavan Duggal Associates.
The author Pavan Duggal is Asia’s and India’s leading expert and authority on
Cyberlaw and Mobile Law. He can be contacted at his email addresses
pavan@pavanduggal.net and pavanduggal@yahoo.com. More about the Author is
available at www.pavanduggal.net and http://www.linkedin.com/in/pavanduggal.
1 Pavan Duggal, Section 66(A) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, IBNLIVE (Dec. 3,
2012), http://ibnlive.in.com/chat/pavan-duggal/section-66-a-of-the-information-
technology-it-act/1328.html (last visited July 5, 2014).
2 PAVAN DUGGAL, MOBILE LAW 310 (2nd ed., Universal 2013).
3 Id. at 153.
4 Padmaja Joshi, Reading 'The Satanic Verses' Not a Punishable Offence, Say Legal
Experts, INDIA TODAY (Jan. 24, 2012), http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/salman-
rushdie-the-satanic-verses-jaipur-authors-legal-experts/1/170439.html
(last visited July 5, 2014).

From 17th October, 2000, when the IT Act, 2000 came into
implementation till date, the said legislation has seen some very
interesting cases and challenges, being brought within its ambit. As
time passed by, the inadequacies of the said legislation came to the
forefront. There were various practical difficulties in the
implementation of the said legislation.5 The inadequacy6 of the IT Act,
2000 to address some of the emerging phenomena, challenges and
cybercrimes, led to voices clamoring for change in the Indian cyber
law.
Consequently, the Government of India tabled the Information

Technology Amendment Bill, 2006 before both the houses of
Parliament in December, 2006, which referred the said amendment
bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information
Technology. The Parliamentary Standing Committee examined the
amendments in a comprehensive manner and thereafter gave its
report and recommendations thereon.
Due credit needs to be given to the government, for removing the

various practical difficulties of the IT Act, 2000.7
The lawmakers and the Government have to be complemented for

their appreciable work removing various deficiencies in the Indian
cyber law and making it technologically neutral, yet it appears that
there has been a major mismatch between the expectation of the
nation and the resultant effect of the amended legislation, more so on
corporate India.
A careful analysis of the said amendments, clearly bring home the

point that the 2008 amendments to the IT Act, 2000 are not at all
sufficient in the context of emergent needs of corporate India and
have various glaring loopholes.
The issues relating to confidential information and data of

corporates and their adequate protection have not been adequately

5 Samanwaya Rautray, IIPM Case Clear Abuse of Judicial Process, Say Legal Experts,
THE ECONOMIC TIMES (21 Feb. 21, 2013), http://articles.economictimes.
indiatimes.com/2013-02-21/news/37221838_1_injunction-iipm-urls (last visited
July 5, 2014.
6 Pavan Duggal, Indian Cyberlaw in 2008, CYBERLAW TRENDS OF 2010 (Dec. 31
2008) http://cyberlawindia2008.blogspot.in/2008/12/indian-cyberlaw-in-2008.
html (last visited July 5, 2014).
7 Pavan Duggal, Glaring Loopholes in Cyberlaw Amendments (2008) Oct.-Dec.
INFOTECH, http://inclusion.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=
193:glaring-loopholes-in-cyberlaw-amendments&catid=114:infotech (last visited
July 5, 2014).

addressed.8 The said law is not a comprehensive law on data
protection or on digital secrets. Having a couple of sections on data
protection does not serve the requirements of corporate India.9
India has neither learnt from the wisdom of the United States nor
the European Union, in terms of their respective experiences, in the
area of data protection. The provisions will not aid the victim entities,
whose data and information is often misused by their employees or
agents with impunity.10
The IT Act Amendments are also deficient in the sense that they do
not create rebuttable presumptions of confidentiality of trade-secrets
and information, in the context of corporate India. A large number of
Indian companies and individuals are saving their confidential data,
information and trade-secrets in the electronic form on their
computers.11 Given the apparent increase in technology adoption, it
is increasingly being found that that despite all precautions been
taken, the employees are still going ahead and taking away
confidential data from companies. The inability of the law to create
enabling presumptions of confidentiality regarding corporate and
individual data and information in the electronic form, is likely to
complicate matters further for Indian companies and netizens.
Given the move to take an extremely lenient view on most

cybercrimes, corporates need to forget about being able to get their
errant employees, misusing their confidential data and information,
behind bars. Absence of an effective remedy for corporates by the
2008 amendments to the Information Technology Act, 2000 is likely
to further erode the confidence of the Industry in the new cyber legal
regime. The maximum damages by way of compensation stipulated
by the cyber law amendments is Rs.5 crore. When calculated in
U.S.A. Dollar terms, this is a small figure and hardly provides any
effective relief to corporates, whose confidential information worth
crores is stolen or misused by its employees or agents.
Another major failure of the amendments is that they have not

dealt with the entire issue pertaining to spam, in a comprehensive
manner.12 In case, the word ‘spam’ is not even mentioned anywhere
in the IT Amendment Act passed by both the houses of the

8 Pavan Duggal, Legal Issues Relating to Outsourcing in India, (2008) 36 (2) IJLI 369.
9 Id.
10 Pavan Duggal, We're Not Keeping Pace, THE TIMES OF INDIA (Jan. 29, 2009),
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/TOP-ARTICLE-Were-
Not-Keeping-Pace/articleshow/4043106.cms (last visited July 5, 2014).
11 DUGGAL, supra note 6.
12 PAVAN DUGGAL, TEXTBOOK ON CYBER LAW 60 (1st ed., Universal 2014).

Parliament. India has missed yet another opportunity to deal with the
contentious issue of spam.13
It is pertinent to note that the countries like U.S.A., Australia and

New Zealand have demonstrated their intentions to fight against
spam by coming across with dedicated anti-spam legislations.14
However, in India, we neither have any anti-spam legislation, nor we
have any specific provisions for effective prevention and regulation of
spam. This make India a heaven as far as, spam is concerned. This is
all the more serious since India already features in the top ten
nations of the world from where spam originates.
Any major failure of the IT Act Amendments is that they have not
specifically detailed with the issues pertaining to electronic
discovery.15 Today, increasingly people and entities as also corporates
are relying upon electronic evidence and electronic media as a means
of communicating with each other and doing business.16 However,
the Indian IT Act Amendments are completely silent on the issues of
electronic discovery. This once again shows the short sightedness of
the Indian IT Amendments to address the complicated emerging
issues pertaining to electronic discovery.
The IT Act amendments do not address jurisdictional issues17. At

a time when the Internet has made geography history, it was expected
that the 2008 amendments to the Information Technology Act, 2000
would throw far more clarity on complicated issues pertaining to
jurisdiction. This is because numerous activities on the internet take
place in different jurisdictions and that there is a need for enabling
the Indian authorities to assume enabling jurisdiction over data and
information impacting India, in a more comprehensive way than in
the manner as sketchily provided under the current law.
The amendments to the Information Technology Act, 2000 make it

mandatory for corporates, possessing, dealing or handling any
sensitive personal data or information in a computer resource to
maintain reasonable security practices, and procedures. It has to be
pointed out that one set of security practices will not fit the entire
nation. What would be reasonable security practices for one industry

13 Id. at 60-61.
14 More Teeth and Byte to IT Law, THE HINDU (Business Line, Nov. 9, 2009),
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/more-teeth-and-byte-to-it-
law/article1084553.ece (last visited July 5, 2014).
16 DUGGAL, supra note 12, at 73-76.
17 Shashank Pandey, Not by Proxy, NEWSLAUNDRY (June 14, 2014),
<http://www.newslaundry.com/2014/06/14/not-by-proxy/ (last visited July 5,
2014).

may not be directly applicable to another industry. Non-maintaining
such reasonable security practices, would expose the said corporates
to civil liability to pay damages by way of compensation to the person
so affected, to the tune of Rs.5 crore. The amendments to the
Information Technology Act, 2000 are likely to impact all industries,
which use computers, computer systems and computer networks and
data and information in the electronic form. These reasonable
security practices and their mandatory adoption, while in overall
better interests, are likely to unveil a package of unpleasant surprises
for many.
The most startling aspect of the amendments to the IT Act, 2000 is

that these amendments have had the effect of transforming the
Indian cyber law into a cyber crime friendly legislation-a legislation
that goes extremely soft on cyber criminals, with a soft heart18; a
legislation that chooses to encourage cyber criminals by lessening the
quantum of punishment19 accorded to them under the existing law; a
legislation that chooses to give far more freedom to cyber criminals
than the existing legislation envisages; a legislation which actually
paves the way for cyber criminals to wipe out the electronic trails and
electronic evidence by granting them bail as a matter of right; a
legislation which makes a majority of cybercrimes stipulated under
the IT Act as bailable offences20; a legislation that is likely to pave
way for India to become the potential cyber crime capital of the world.
A perusal of the said legislation shows that there is hardly any

logical or rational reason for adopting such an approach.
However what amazes the lay reader is that the amendments to

the IT Act have gone ahead and reduced the quantum of punishment.
Taking a classical case of the offence of online obscenity, Section 67
has reduced the quantum of punishment on first conviction for
publishing, transmitting or causing to be published any information
in the electronic form, which is lascivious, from the existing 5 years to
3 years. Similarly, the quantum of punishment for the offence of
failure to comply with the directions of the Controller of Certifying
Authorities is reduced from 3 years to 2 years.
Further, it is shocking to find that the existing language of the

offence of hacking under Section 66 has now been substituted by new
language. Deleting hacking as a specific defined offence does not

18 HINDU, supra note 14.
19 Pavan Duggal, Your Cybercrime-Friendly Legislation, BUSINESS-STANDARD (Jan.
8, 2009), http://www.business-standard.com/article/technology/your-cybercrime-
friendly-legislation-109010801070_1.html (last visited July 5, 2014).
20 DUGGAL, supra note 12, at 110.

appeal to any logic. The cutting of certain elements of the offence of
hacking under the existing Section 6621 and putting the same under
Section 43 make no legal or pragmatic sense. This is all the more so
as no person would normally diminish the value and utility of any
information residing in a computer resource or affect the same
injuriously by any means, with the permission of the owner or any
such person who is in charge of the computer, computer system or
computer network.
At that time when the entire world is going hammer and tongs
against cyber crimes and cyber criminals, here comes a contrary
trend from the Indian legislature.22 Cyber criminals of the world
targeting India or operating in India need not despair. The legislation
has now stipulated that cyber crimes punishable with imprisonment
of 3 years shall be bailable offences. Since the majority of cyber crime
offences defined under the amended IT Act is punishable with 3
years23, the net effect of all amendments is that a majority of these
cyber crimes shall be bailable. In common language, this means that
the moment a cyber criminal will be arrested by the police, barring a
few offences, in almost all other cyber crimes, he shall be released on
bail as a matter of right, by the police, there and then.24
Keeping in account human behavior and psychology, it will be but

natural to expect that the concerned cyber criminal, once released on
bail, will immediately go and evaporate, destroy or delete all electronic
traces and trails of his having committed any cyber crime, thus
making the job of law enforcement agencies to have cyber crime
convictions, a near impossibility.
The fertile liberal treatment meted out to cyber criminals, by the IT

Act amendments, facilitating the environment where they can tamper
with, destroy and delete electronic evidence25, is likely to make a
mockery of the process of law and would put the law enforcement
agencies under extreme pressure, apart from exposing corporates to
undesirable headaches. In the 14 odd years since internet have been
commercially introduced in our country, India has got only three
cyber crime convictions. Since the coming into effect of the
amendments, India has seen a drought of cyber crime convictions.

23 DUGGAL, supra note 12, at 111-139.
25 Rishi Raj, Satyam Records Not Yet Seized, THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS (Jan. 9,
2009), http://www.financialexpress.com/story-print/408405 (last visited July 5,
2014).

Another major change that the amendments to the IT Act, 2000
have done is that cyber crimes in India shall now be investigated not
by a Deputy Superintendent of Police, as under the existing law, but
shall now be done by a low level police inspector. So, henceforth, the
local police inspector is going to be the next point of contact, the
moment a person or any company is a victim of any cyber crime. The
efficacy of such an approach is hardly likely to withstand the test of
time, given the current non-exposure and lack of training of Inspector
level police officers to cyber crimes, their detection, investigation and
prosecution.
Given this new development, it is probable that the concept of e-

hafta (or electronic hafta is likely to be far more reinforced and
developed as an institutional practice. This is so as the law has now
produced more powers to the inspector than ever before, regarding
cybercrimes.
The expectations of the nation for effectively tackling cyber crime

and stringently punishing cyber criminals have all been let down by
the extremely liberal amendments, given their soft corner and
indulgence for cyber criminals.
The entire issue relating to encryption as a process, has not been

satisfactorily dealt with. Having a single provision in the 2008
amendments to the IT Act, 2000, reserving the right to specify
processes relating to encryption later, does not do justice to the
expectations of corporate India, regarding the usage of encryption.
Encryption is a process that scrambles information, such that it

cannot easily be understood by people who do not have the right key
to unscramble it. The level of security this provides depends critically
on the length of the keys used in the encryption and decryption
process. The maximum permissible length of this key has been a
matter of debate, discussion and dispute between the technology
industry and the government. The implications of this are highly
significant for commerce, law, intellectual property protection, and
civil liberties.
Rather than addressing the complicated issues of encryption and

defining a comprehensive policy on encryption, the amendments have
merely decided to defer the said issue and leave it to the route of
secondary legislation by means of rules and regulations. This makes
the situation all the more complicated, given the existing position.
India's Guidelines and General Information for Setting up of

International Gateways for Internet and similar documents stipulate

that “encryption up to 40-bit key length in the RSA algorithms or its
equivalent in other algorithms can be used without having to obtain
permission. If encryption equipments higher than this limit are to be
deployed, it needs permission of the Telecom Authority and deposit
the decryption key, split into two parts, with the Telecom
Authority.”
The practical problem is that encryption upto 40 bits of length is

absurdly easy to crack, even by schoolboys. Today, banks and
financial institutions are openly violating the official limit of 40 bit
encryption. At a time, when the world is moving towards one
direction, India should not be seen to be moving in the opposite
direction.
India needs to harness the benefits and advantages of technology,

rather than wanting to ride its boat upstream, against the current of
the technological river.
All in all, given the glaring loopholes as detailed above, the IT Act
Amendments have already had the effect of adversely impacting
corporate India and all users of computers, computer systems and
computer networks, as also data and information in the electronic
form.
In conclusion, it can be safely stated that the changes that are

brought about by the Information Technology Act, 2000 by the 2008
amendments are the law of the land. Till such time as the said law is
not freshly amended, companies using computers, computer systems,
computer networks, communication devices as well as data and
information in the electronic form, will need to ensure compliance
with the same. Due diligence in the electronic environment is the
main message that the IT Act amendments have for corporates. All
corporates using computers, computer systems, computer networks,
communication devices as well as data and information in the
electronic form, must ensure that their electronic operations are in
compliance with the existing cyber law. Compliance, compliance and
compliance are the key messages that corporates in India need to
concentrate upon, for the present.
INTRODUCTION TO CYBERCRIME AND PROCEDURE TO REPORT

CYBERCRIME
Mr. S.M. Babar∗
Cybercrime refers to any crime that involves a computer and a

network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a
crime, or it may be the target. This includes offences that are
committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a
criminal motive to intentionally harm the reputation of the victim, or
cause physical or mental harm to the victim directly or indirectly,
using modern telecommunication networks such as internet (chat
rooms, emails, notice boards and groups) and mobile phones
(SMS/MMS).
Such crimes may threaten a nation’s security and financial health.

Issues surrounding these types of crimes have become high-profile,
particularly those surrounding cracking, copyright infringement,
child pornography, and child grooming. There are also problems of
privacy when confidential information is lost or intercepted, lawfully
or otherwise.
Computer crime encompasses a broad range of activities.

∗
Senior Police Inspector, Market Yard Police Station, Pune City.

9.Domain
stalking
10.Scanning
and probing
11.Insider
threats
Procedure to Report Cyber Crime
To tackle the issue of cyber crimes, CIDs (Criminal Investigation

Departments) of various cities opened up Cyber Crime Cells in
different cities. The Information Technology Act of India, 2000 states
clearly that when a cyber crime has been committed, it has a global
jurisdiction under Section 1(2). Hence a complaint can be filed at any
cyber cell as well as it can be registered at the place where it is
disclosed/happened.
Step 1-One may need to provide name, mailing address and

telephone number along with an application letter addressing the
head of a Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, Police Stations when filing a
complaint.
Step 2-One must provide certain documents in order to register a

complaint. List of documents varies with the type of cyber crime.
In case of hacking the following information should be provided:

1) Server logs.
2) A copy of the defaced web page in soft copy as well as hard
copy format, if victim’s website is defaced. If data are
compromised on victim’s server or computer or any other
3) network equipment, soft copy of original data and soft copy of
compromised data.
4) Access control mechanism details i.e., who had the access to
the computer or email of the victim?
5) List of suspects if the victim is having any suspicion on
anyone.
6) All relevant information leading to the answers to following
questions.
• What is compromised?
• Who might have compromised the system?
• When was the system compromised?
• Why might have been the system compromised?

• Where is the impact of the attack-identifying the target

system from the network?
• How many systems have been compromised by the attack?
In case of e-mail abuse, vulgar e-mail etc., the following information

should be provided:
1) The extended headers of offending e-mail.
2) The offending e-mail from.
Adjudicating officer is Secretary to IT department Maharashtra State.

He has the powers to make orders for compensation up to Rs.5 crores
after deciding who is in lapse in the cases of monitory loss,
intellectual loss under Section 43.
Contact Information of Cyber Cells, Pune:

Cyber Crime Investigation Cell
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime)
Office of Commissioner Office,
2, Sadhu Vaswani Road,
Camp, Pune-411001
Police Helpline Numbers: +91-20-26123346, +91-20-

26127277, +91-20-2616 5396, +91-20-2612 8105
(Fax)
Website: www.punepolice.gov.in
E-Mail: crimecomp.pune@nic.in,
Contact Information of Cyber Cells, Mumbai:

Cyber Crime Investigation Cell
Office of Commissioner of Police Office,
Annex-3 Building,
1st Floor, Near Crawford Market,
Mumbai-01.
Police Helpline Numbers: +91-22-22630829, +91-22-

22641261
Web site: http://www.cybercellmumbai.com
E-mail: officer@cybercellmumbai.com
ED

SOME BASIC RULES FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

OF THE COMPUTER AND INTERNET
Ms. Vaishali Bhagwat∗
Introduction
Today we are living in a completely wired world and with the

convergence of technologies life is getting simpler (or complex one
wonders). With convergence of technologies, I mean that your
wristwatch is no longer just a strap on your wrist which shows time
but a camera, recorder, music player, GPS, data storage, all into one.
Your washing machine at home can also answer door bell and let the
courier man in, but keep the burglar out.
Don’t be too surprised! This day is not far away. We are left with
no choice; we have to keep up with technology or become obsolete or
useless.
Today you walk inside any shop, mall, multiplex, petrol station
and you don’t need paper money to do the transactions, but only
plastic which is your credit card or debit card or any other smart
card. Just a swipe of the card and the shopping is done; the money is
debited or minused from your bank which could be situated
anywhere in the world almost immediately and you get a SMS alert
almost the next instant. The money gets deposited in account of the
shop owner, again electronically. So where is all the money that we
are using while doing the shopping? It’s all there on some computer
somewhere in the world which you are assuming is well protected
and all your money is safe.
Just imagine how big the risk is if such transactions are not
carried out carefully or not monitored carefully. Someone may have
created your profile on Orkut and must be communicating with your
friends all over the city, country or the world, and people are talking
to the person as if ‘he’ is ‘you’. That’s scary, right? Someone may also
create an email id by your name and start sending dirty
messages/pictures to your friends.
Does this mean you should stop using the internet or computers?
Now that is no longer possible; so it is better that we learn how to use
it safely and protect ourselves. It is also important to know that while

∗
B.Sc.,LL.B.Practising Cyber Lawyer, Pune;TCS Chevening Scholar.

using the computer and internet, you should follow certain rules,
regulations, laws and guidelines because if you do not do that, it may
be an offence punishable under law. The way we follow traffic rules
while driving on the road, it is the same while using the internet.
Let us first begin with discussing what are those few wrong beliefs
or myths about using the computer and internet.
Myth No.1: Because it is technologically possible, it is legal.
Reality: Not legal!
It may be easily possible to break into somebody’s email account or

access the email account without authority. It is also easily possible
to cut-paste photographs and images you like that are available on
different websites on to your own website or blog. Making changes in
the photographs or pictures of people on the internet (also called as
morphing). But that is not legal. You cannot access somebody’s email
account without the person’s permission. You cannot cut-paste
photographs and images available on the internet without the owner’s
permission. You cannot make changes in photographs.
Myth No.2: Because the information is available on the internet

is free.
Reality: No!
All information available on the internet belongs to the creator or

author of the information. It could be contents of a website, a picture,
drawing, music, and video. You cannot simply copy it and use it
unless the website gives you permission to do that. You thought
downloading music or videos from the internet is right, right? Think
again! If the creator or publisher of the music or video has not given
rights of free distribution, you may be committing an offence.
Myth No.3: Information available on the website is always true

and correct.
Reality: Now this is a funny one!
Take Wikipedia for example. It has information that is posted by

users like you on me. Information on websites is put there by creators
of the website who may not be always correct. Content could be the
author’s perception or view about a certain topic or written out of his
limited knowledge. Check the source of the information before relying
on it would be my advice.

Myth No.4: Internet of offers you anonymity. No one knows who
you are on internet.
…Which means you can do whatever you want on the internet. Send
dirty jokes, dirty SMS etc. to people; threaten or defame people on
blog sites or twitter or elsewhere; talk to people on chat under false
identity because no one will know who you actually are.
Reality: A big NO to this!
Remember, every time you touch the keyboard, you are creating a
footprint which cannot be wiped away. Whenever you send an email
from your computer, it will carry the physical address of the
computer which means the place from which the email was sent or
the chat conversation was done can be very easily found out. It could
be your home, school, college, office or a cyber cafe. After that finding
a person who has sent it is not so difficult.
Internet gives you a false sense of anonymity or security because

you are faceless. That automatically gives you some extra courage
and strength to do things that you otherwise would not do, such as-
chatting in a dirty language, posing to be a handsome 23 year old boy
or a beautiful 16 year old girl on the internet when your age is
actually 65. Why? Because you feel no one is watching. Think again!
The law is watching and it is very easy to trace footprints on the net,
easier that the physical world.
Myth No.5: Usage of internet is not governed by any rules,

regulations or laws; you can do what you want.
Reality: No!
And that is why Rotary Club along with Pune Police has organized
this awareness drive.
Seven Rules for Safe Operations of Computer and Internet
1 Rule 1 Use licensed software.
2 Rule 2 Use antivirus software.
3 Rule 3 Use a firewall.
4 Rule 4 Protect your password.
5 Rule 5 Do not operate under a false identity.


6 Rule 6 Maintain decency and decorum on public
websites.
7 Rule 7 Use common sense and be alert.
Rule 1: Use only licensed software.
Why? Because by not doing so you are committing a crime

punishable with imprisonment and fine. The police officers can also
seize the computer on which pirated software, music, video is loaded.
A software manufacturer permits a user to use the software on

payment of a fee, called the license fee. On such payment the user is
also entitled to updates that keeps the software running in good
condition and also makes your computer safe and secure. If one does
not want to purchase a software other option like free software are
also available called as ‘open source’ software.
Cracking the license of a software so that multiple copies can be

made is also a crime.
Rule 2: Install agood antivirus software on your computer and

keep it updated regularly.
Virus, Worms, Torjans etc., are those germs which infect a computer
and can cause damage to the computer and data making it useless.
Valuable data can be lost forever. Virus etc., can enter into your
computer through the internet or even through floppy disks, USB
drives etc. In order to protect your computer from the virus attack,
one needs to install a program on the computer which will prevent
the entry of the virus. Such programs are called anti-virus programs.
Rule 3: Install a personal firewall on your computer.
A firewall is program that will protect your computer from offensive

websites and potential hackers. A firewall will filter the information
entering into your computer and therefore you can filter offensive and
‘dirty’ pornographic websites thus making your computer use safe,
clean and secure. It can also prevent hacking attacks which means
stop an unauthorized user using your computer.
Rule 4: Protect your password.
This is easier said than done. How many times you must have already
heard this? Let us ask a simple question to ourselves. How many

keys do you have to your house? 1-2-3? Mom, dad and yourself? Do
you freely make duplicates and keep them lying everywhere-like on
the door itself, on the door mat, in the plant pot outside the main
door? No! Isn’t it? We are more careful because the house contains lot
of valuables.
It is the same with passwords. If you don’t protect them, then

people are going to misuse them and use them to steal money, data,
even your identity. Imagine if someone knows the password to your
email account, he may communicate with all your friends on the
friend list as you and cause embarrassment.
Password is also sometimes referred to as pin, authentication id,

etc.
It means that you should never:

1. Share your password with anyone.
2. Write down the password anywhere.
3. Call out or say your password in a conversation.
4. Allow anyone to see you typing your password.
5. Give your password over telephone while doing any banking or
other financial transactions.
6. Do not include personal details in your password–such as
family name, spouse name, children name, phone no, birth
date, vehicle number etc.
7. Never leave your computer unattended.
8. Do not do internet banking transactions from cyber cafes or
other public places.
9. Always systematically log out of the website you have logged
in.
10. Be careful, alert and wise.
Rule 5: Do not operate on the internet under a false identity.
Posing of someone else on the internet is a crime punishable with

imprisonment and fine. It is also referred to as identity theft. There
are several ways in which this is done. For e.g., someone steals your
password and starts operating your account without your permission;
or someone creates your profile on Orkut, Facebook, Myspace etc.;
uploads your pictures and actually starts communicating with
everybody as if it’s you.
Internet is a powerful medium, but it also gives a false sense to the

user that he is faceless and that his identity cannot be known.
However this is just a myth. It is very easy to trace the user to his
physical address.
Rule 6: Maintain decency and decorum on public chat sites or

social networking site.
Pornography is banned in India. Viewing, publishing or transmission

of content which is obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit or ‘dirty’
is a crime in India punishable with imprisonment upto 5 years.
Sending dirty text, email, SMS, MMS is a crime.
Also posting content on websites or social networking sites which

is offensive, insulting, intimidating or defamatory is also a crime. Be
careful of what you write on the internet. Think twice! Because once
you write it, you cannot erase it.
Rule 7: Be alert and use common sense.
Have you seen anyone win a lottery without buying a lottery ticket?
Then why believe all the emails and SMS that that tell you that you
have won a lottery worth million pounds in UK.
The easiest way is-ignore these emails! Be alert!
The Information Technology Act, 2000 was enacted in the year

2000 with the basic objective to make electronic records admissible in
evidence, facilitate e-commerce, give legal recognition to digital
signatures and fight cyber crimes. The law has been amended in the
year 2009 prescribing stringent punishment for cyber crimes such as
data theft, piracy, damage to computers and data, pornography and
terrorism. The offences have been made cognizable and any police
officer of the rank or police inspector or above has been given powers
to investigate a cyber crime. The punishment prescribed is harsh
including imprisonment of 3 years and also more and fine.
I wish you a safe and secure experience on computer and internet.

SYSTOOLS MAILXAMINER: THE FORENSIC TOOL FOR EMAILS
Mr. Debasish Pramanik∗
Why is a forensic tool required for emails?
Emails are a speedy, economical and ubiquitous method of

exchanging messages. Today, more than 80% of professional
communication occurs through emails. A typical email contains a
message that forms the bulk of the communication. The email also
contains bits of information that normally are not visible to the user.
While emails are an efficient carrier of useful messages, sometimes,
they hold clues to dark and sinister scenarios. Analysis of these
messages and bits of information can serve as evidence of a wrongful
activity.
These threatening scenarios could include:
• Theft of data
• Dishonor of agreements
• Not meeting commitments
• Leakage of confidential information
• Fraud
• Mismanagement
• Victimization
• Harassment
• Coercion
• Cheating
• Deception
• infidelity
To detect threats, you need an easy to use yet powerful tool to ferret
slivers of information from voluminous quantities of emails. The tool
needs to find patterns of activities and deliberate sequence of tasks
from the data. The reports from this tool should serve as legally
admissible evidence that helps win disputes in your favor. You need
the MailXaminer from SysTools.

∗
Co-Founder and Product Specialist-Digital Forensics SysTools Software.

Who needs SysTools MailXaminer?
• Digital Investigators: These are professionals who examine

data in emails and gather evidence of a cyber-crime to be
followed by fixing of responsibilities.
• Law Enforcement Agencies: These agencies are faced with
an increasing number of cases in which emails form the bulk
of evidence.
• Legal Fraternity: Often, the lawyers formulate their litigation
using material culled from emails.
• Corporate: With employees communicating inside and outside
their enterprise through emails, the management needs clever
tools to monitor messages for operational intelligence and
evidence of malpractices. This could include forewarning of
employees’ eminent departure from this job, to harassment,
threats and victimization, to data theft and information
leakages.
• Other users: Investigators of domestic fraud or marital
infidelity often find clues and evidence hidden in emails.
What will SysTools MailXaminer deliver?
The MailXaminer delivers clear, unambiguous reports of the

conducted search. These searches provide evidence of an event,
activity or pattern from within the emails. This foolproof logic behind
the gathering of evidence removes all subjectivity and conjecture. This
ensures that this evidence can stand the scrutiny of a legal litigation.
No longer can suspicions of a wrongful act through email be brushed
aside due to lack of scientific proof.
Why SysTools MailXaminer?
• Easy to buy, easy to install, easy to use.

• Low cost of ownership.
• Comprehensive customer support available anytime and
anywhere.
• Complex search capabilities using advanced algorithms.
• Easy to operate, even by non-technical users.
• User friendly and logical graphical interface.
• Speedy results, even while searching huge volumes of data.
• Minimal learning curve delivering rapid results.
• Ability to decrypt password protected documents, corrupted or
damaged files.
• Sifts through various email variants, even if the client software
is not installed on the computer.

• Avoids involvement of external agencies into investigation to
ensure secrecy in investigation.
• Reduces dependence on trained manpower and their
expensive skills.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013: Legislative

Remedies for Online Harassment and Cyberstalking in India
Dr. Sapna Sukrut Deo∗
Introduction
The Internet has become a medium for people to communicate

globally in the course of business, education and their social lives.
The Internet has made it easy for people to communicate, meet a
companion, or compete with people on the other side of the world
with click of a mouse.
In 2013, according to the Internet World Stats Report, 137,000,000

people used Internet, and 56,698,300 people used Facebook in India,
as a result there arises a concern for Internet safety. The increased
use of the Internet has created an impact on the number of online
harassing/cyberstalking cases.
Cyberstalking is a new form of computer related crime, occurring in

our society. Cyberstalking means when a person is followed and
pursued online, invading his/her privacy as his/her every move
watched. It is a form of harassment that can disrupt the life of the
victim and leave him/her feeling very afraid and threatened.
Cyberstalking usually occurs with women, who are stalked or
harassed by men, or with children who are stalked by adult predators
or pedophiles. Cyberstalkers need not have to leave their home to
find, or harass their targets, and has no fear of physical violence
since they believe that they cannot be physically touched in
cyberspace. They use Internet, e-mail, and other electronic
communication devices to stalk persons.
This paper addresses the issue of cyberstalking and online

harassment, and what legal remedies an Internet user may have
when confronted with this form of behavior. Firstly, the paper will
examine what constitutes cyberstalking and harassment, and will
discuss the way in which the Internet may facilitate such behavior.
The nature of the behavior is effects-based one upon the victim

wherein the stalker is anonymous, although the harasser may not be
so. Online harassment is similar to real world stalking in the way that

∗
Assistant Professor, New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune.

it can be disturbing to the victim. At the same time the unique

environment of the Internet creates “remoteness” on the part of the
stalker, and provides a false sense of security arising from the
apparent anonymity that is present on the Internet.
Secondly, this paper will review the current harassment legislation

in India, and examine how this legislation has been applied by the
Indian courts. In addition it will provide remedies for an Internet user
confronted with this behavior.
Finally, the paper will consider “self prevention/protection”

measures that individuals may adopt in dealing with online
harassment and cyberstalking.
Definitions of Online Harassment and Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking involves using the Internet, cell phone, and/or any

other electronic communication device to stalk another person. It
may involve threats, identity theft and damage to data or equipment,
solicitation of minors for sexual purposes, and any other form of
repeated offensive behavior.
Online harassment can involve sexual harassment which is

unwanted contact of a personal nature, or other conduct based on
sex affecting the dignity of men and women at work.1 This may
include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. It is
unwanted if such conduct is unacceptable, unreasonable and
offensive to the recipient. Sexual attention becomes sexual
harassment if it is persistent and once rejected by the recipient.
However, a single act, if sufficiently serious, can also constitute
harassment.2
Online harassment can be divided into direct and indirect

harassment. “Direct” harassment includes the use of pagers, cell
phones and the email to send messages of hate, obscenities and
threats, to intimidate a victim. E.g., the majority of offline stalkers
will attempt to contact their victim, and most contact is restricted to
mail and/or telephone communications. On the other hand “indirect”
harassment includes the use of the Internet to display messages of
hate, threats or used to spread false rumours about a victim.
Messages can be posted on web pages, within chat groups or bulletin
boards. This form of harassment is the electronic equivalent of
placing pinups on a factory wall, and if the display of such material

1 http:www.mindspring.com\~techomom\harassed\ (last visited May 1, 2013).
2 British Telecommunications PLC v. Williams, (1997) IRLR 668.

from the victim’s perspective causes offence it will amount to

harassment.3
Thus generally speaking, online harassment becomes cyberstalking

when repeated unwanted communications, whether direct or indirect,
takes place over a period of time, via one or more mediums of Internet
or electronic communications. The messages themselves must be
unwanted, and the content can be-but is not limited to-threatening,
sexually harassing, emotionally harassing or bullying, or general
misinformation. Provided the messages create reasonable fear in the
victim, they fit the definition for cyberstalking.4
There are a number of definitions of stalking that exist, each

differing slightly. Stalking as “a course of conduct directed at a
specific person that involves repeated (two or more occasions) visual
or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal,
written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would
cause a reasonable person fear”. It is interesting that the definition
excludes most electronic forms of stalking as there is often a lack of
visual or physical proximity in such cases.5
The definition used in the British Crime Survey6 is that stalking is

“two or more incidents causing distress, fear or alarm of
obscene/threatening unwanted letters or phone calls, waiting or
loitering around home or workplace, following or watching, or
interfering with, or damaging personal property carried out by any
person”. In parallel, the psychiatric literature has defined stalking as
a course of conduct by which one person repeatedly inflicts on
another unwanted intrusions to such an extent that the recipient
fears for his or her safety.7 Whilst each source offers its own
interpretation, repetition leading to fear is a recurring theme in any
definition.8
Stalking and harassment are distinctive in law since the offending

behavior is said to occur only when the victim reports him/her self to
be distressed as a result of the behavior of another to whom they
believe to be threatening. The victim’s perception of the offending

3 J. ANGEL, COMPUTER LAW 17 (4th ed. Blackstone Press Ltd, London, U.K. 2000).
4 Randy McCall, Online Harassment and Cyberstalking: Victim Access to Crisis, Referral
and Support Services in Canada-Concepts and Recommendations, www.vaonline.org
(last visited May 15, 2013).
5 Patricia Tjaden & Nancy Thoennes, Stalking in America: Findings from the National
Violence against Women Survey (1998), http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/169592.pdf.
6 K. Smith, K. Coleman, S. Eder & H. Hall, Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate
Violence, 2 CRIME IN ENGLAND AND WALES 1-97 (2009/10.)
7 Id.
8 http://www.beds.ac.uk/research/irac/nccr (last visited May 6, 2013).

behavior and its effects are therefore pivotal in providing criteria on

which to make a charge.
Online Harassment and Cyberstalking in India: Legislative

Remedies
Since the 1990s, stalking and harassing has become a common

occurrence due to Internet.
In 2001, India’s first cyberstalking case was reported. Manish

Kathuria was stalking an Indian lady, Ms. Ritu Kohli by illegally
chatting on the web site, www.mirc.com using her name; and used
obscene and obnoxious language, and distributed her residence
telephone number, invited people to chat with her on the phone. As a
result, Ms. Ritu Kohli was getting obscene calls from various states of
India and abroad, and people were talking dirty with her. In a state of
shock, she called the Delhi police and reported the matter. The police
registered her case under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860
for outraging the modesty of Ritu Kohli. But Section 509 refers only
to a word, a gesture or an act intended to insult modesty of a woman.
But when same things are done on Internet, then there is no mention
about it in the said section. This case caused alarm to the Indian
government, for the need to amend laws regarding the aforesaid crime
and regarding protection of victims under the same.
1. The Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008
As a result, Section 66A of the Information Technology

(Amendment) Act, 2008 (hereinafter the IT Act, 2008) states:
Punishment for sending offensive messages through

communication service, etc.- Any person who sends, by
means of a computer resource or a communication device,-
(a) any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing
character; or
(b) any information which he knows to be false, but for the
purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger,
obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity,
hatred, or ill will, persistently makes by making use of such
computer resource or a communication device;
(c) any electronic mail or electronic mail message for the
purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience or to deceive or
to mislead the addressee or recipient about the origin of such
messages
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to 3 years and with fine.

The IT Act, 2008 does not directly address stalking. But the
problem is dealt more as an ‘intrusion on to the privacy of
individual’ than as regular cyber offences which are discussed in
the IT Act, 2008. Hence the most used provision for regulating
cyberstalking in India is Section 72 of the IT Act, 2008 which runs
as follows:
Section 72: Breach of confidentiality and privacy.- Save as

otherwise provided in this Act or any other law for the time
being in force, any person who, in pursuant of any of the
powers conferred under this Act, rules or regulations made
thereunder, has secured access to any electronic record, book,
register, correspondence, information, document or other
material without the consent of the person concerned discloses
such electronic record, book, register, correspondence,
information, document or other material to any other person
shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to 2 years, or with fine which may extend to 1 Lakh
rupees, or with both.
Section 72A: Punishment for disclosure of information in

breach of lawful contract.- Save as otherwise provided in this
Act or any other law for the time being in force, any person
including an intermediary who, while providing services under
the terms of lawful contract, has secured access to any material
containing personal information about another person, with the
intent to cause or knowing that he is likely to cause wrongful
loss or wrongful gain discloses, without the consent of the
person concerned, or in breach of a lawful contract, such
material to any other person shall be punished with
imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with a
fine which may extend to 5 lakh rupees, or with both.
In practice, these provisions can be read with Section 441 of

the Indian Penal Code, 1860 which deals with offences related to
criminal trespass and runs as follows:
Whoever enters into or upon property in the possession of

another with intent to commit an offence or to intimidate, insult
or annoy any person in possession of such property, or having
lawfully entered into or upon such property, unlawfully remains
there with intent thereby to intimidate, insult or annoy any
such person, or with an intent to commit an offence, is said to
commit criminal trespass.

2. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013
Prior to February 2013, there were no laws that directly regulate

cyberstalking in India. In 2013, Indian parliament made
amendments to the Indian Penal Code, 1860 introducing
cyberstalking as a criminal offence.9
After ‘the December 2012 Delhi gang rape incidence’, the Indian
government has taken several initiatives to review the existing
criminal laws. A special committee under Justice Verma was
formed for this purpose and basing upon the report of the
committee, several new laws were introduced. In this course, anti-
stalking law was also introduced. The Criminal Law (Amendment)
Act, 2013 added Section 354D in the Indian Penal Code, 1860
to define and punish the act of stalking. This section is as follows:
(1) Whoever follows a person and contacts, or attempts to

contact such person to foster personal interaction
repeatedly, despite a clear indication of disinterest by such
person, or whoever monitors the use by a person of the
Internet, email or any other form of electronic
communication, or watches or spies on a person in a
manner that results in a fear of violence or serious alarm or
distress in the mind of such person, or interferes with the
mental peace of such person, commits the offence of
stalking:
Provided that the course of conduct will not amount to stalking
if the person who pursued it shows-
(i) that it was pursued for the purpose of preventing or
detecting crime, and the person accused of stalking had
been entrusted with the responsibility of prevention and
detection of crime by the state; or
(ii) that it was pursued under any law or to comply with any
condition or requirement imposed by any person under any
law; or
(iii) that in the particular circumstances the pursuit of the
course of conduct was reasonable.
(2) Whoever commits the offence of stalking shall be punished
with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall
not be less than 1 year but which may extend to 3 years, and
shall also be liable to fine.

9 The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, No. 13 of 2013, INDIA CODE (2013).

Stalking has been defined as a man who follows or contacts a

woman, despite clear indication of disinterest to such contact by
the woman, or monitoring of use of Internet or electronic
communication of a woman. A man committing the offence of
stalking would be liable for imprisonment up to 3 years for the
first offence, and shall also be liable to fine and for any subsequent
conviction would be liable for imprisonment up to 5 years and with
fine.10
The term “cyberstalking” can be used interchangeably with

online harassment. Cyberstalker does not present a direct threat
to a victim, but follows the victim’s online activity to collect
information and make threats or other forms of verbal
intimidation. A potential stalker may not want to confront and
threaten a person offline, but may have no problem threatening or
harassing a victim through the Internet or other forms of electronic
communications.
Enforcement Problems
“Even with the most carefully crafted legislation, enforcing a law in a

virtual community creates unique problems never before faced by law
enforcement agencies.”11
These problems pertain mainly to international aspects of the

Internet. It is a medium that can be accessed by anyone throughout
the globe with a computer and modem. This means, as explained
below, that a potential offender may not be within the jurisdiction
where an offence is committed. Anonymous use of the Internet,
though beneficial in many instances, also promises to create
challenges for law enforcement authorities.12
The Internet is a global medium regardless of frontiers, and this

creates new possibilities for the so-called cyberstalker. Cheap and
easy access to the Internet means that distance is no obstacle to the
cyberstalker.13 Anyone can become a target for a cyberstalker
through the use of the Internet in many forms. The victim can be
contacted by e-mail, instant messaging (IM) programs, via chat

10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Law_%28Amendment%29_Act,_2013 (last
visited May 1, 2013).
11 B. Jensen, Cyberstalking: Crime, Enforcement and Personal Responsibility in the
Online World, http://www.law.ucla.edu/Classes/Archive/S96/340/cyberlaw.htm
(last visited May 1, 2013).
12 L. Ellison & Y. Akdeniz, Cyberstalking: The Regulation of Harassment on the
Internet, CRIMINAL LAW REVIEW-CRIME, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE INTERNET
7 (Special ed. Dec. 1998).
13 Id.

rooms, social network sites, or the stalker attempting to take over the
victim’s computer by monitoring what he is doing while online. The
Internet is not a “lawless place”14, and there are difficulties in
applying laws that are made for specific nation states and this would
be also true of applying national harassment and stalking laws to the
Internet.
Self-help Approaches
After researching on various aspects of cyber talking, the problem

came to know is that the limitations of legal regulation of online
harassment in cases which involve anonymous cyberstalkers. These
limitations in legal regulation are, to some extent, compensated for by
the availability of non-legal solutions to online harassment. A number
of more suitable ways in which users can protect themselves from
online harassment are discussed below.
• Do not share personal information in public spaces anywhere

online, nor give it to strangers, including e-mail or chat rooms.
• Do not ever reply to offensive, defamatory, provocative e-mails
if you get them.
• Do not respond to flaming, or get provoked online.
• You can use online segregating tools such as blocking of the
email ID, reporting of spams, and are also advised to use
strong encryption programmes such as the Pretty Good
Privacy (PGP) which ensure complete private communications.
• If you are being stalked, you don’t have to be a victim. Report
the incident to your Internet Service Provider, police station in
your city, or an online help agency and also take advice from
your techno-savvy friends.
• Keep evidence of possible harassment by saving messages, or
copying and pasting them to self e-mails. Prevention is always
better than cure.

14 See J.R. Reidenberg, Governing Networks and Cyberspace Rule-Making, 45 EMORY
LAW JOURNAL 911 (1996).

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS FOR CYBER CRIMES
Mr. Vaibhav Salunkhe*

Mr. Balkrishna Jadhav†
1. Credit Card Fraud
Problem:
Tushar is assistant manager with the fraud control unit of a large

business process outsourcing (BPO) organization. The BPO facility
has about 350 employees. Their primary function is to issue the
bank’s credit cards as well as attend to customer and merchant
queries. Each employee is assigned to a specific task and is only
allowed to access the computer system for that specific task. The
employees are not allowed to make any changes in the credit card
holder’s account unless they received specific approvals.
Each of the employees is given a unique individual password. In case

they entered an incorrect password three consecutive times then their
password would get blocked and they would be issued a temporary
password.
The company suspected that its employees conspired with the son
(holding an add-on card) of one of the credit card holders. The BPO
employee deliberately keyed in the wrong password three consecutive
times (so that his password would get blocked) and obtained a
temporary password to access the computer system. He manually
reversed the transactions of the card so that it appeared that
payment for the transaction has taken place. That person also
changed the credit card holder's address so that the statement of
account would never be delivered to the primary card holder.
Solution:
• Tushar can lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police

station.
• Section 66-C of the Information Technology Act, 2000 provides
punishment for identity theft. According to this Act the person
can be punished with imprisonment upto 3 years and fine upto
Rs.1 lakh.

* Practicing Cyber Lawyer, Pune.
† Independent IT Security Consultant, Pune.

• It is also punishable under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code,
1860.
• Police can visit the premises of the BPO and conduct detailed
examination of various persons to understand the computer
system used.
• Police can analyze the attendance register which showed that who
was present at all the times when the fraudulent entries had been
entered in the system. They also analyze the system logs that
showed that the accuser's ID had been used to make the changes
in the system and corresponding CCTV Coverage .
• Police can trace IP address to service provider and ultimately to
the person who is involved in the crime.
2. Online Railway Ticket Fraud
Problem:
Ram is an online railway ticket booking service provider. one day he

found that some unknown people had used the internet ticket
booking facility to book 44 railway tickets using stolen credit card
details.
Due to this incident Ram has to bear lots of finacial losses. Ram
understood that he is being cheated. Now he wants to recover his
money.
Solution:
• Ram can lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police station.

Rs.1 lakh.
• It is also punishable under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code,
1860.
• The department will receive chargeback from the credit card
companies for all the 44 transactions causing huge financial
losses.
• Police will investigate all user IDs created by accounts as well as
IPs involved in the fraud.
• Police will recover all user accounts and their passwords.
• Police will also investigate stolen credit cards of various accounts.

3. Lottery Scam
Problem:
Govind is government employee. He likes to surf internet. He also

loves to register many sites available on net to get updates.
One day Govind got an e-mail from U.K. NATIONAL LOTTERY. It was
mentioned in the lottery that Govind has won Rs.50 lakhs. So he
contacted those people and verified the details.
Those people demanded Govind Rs.5 lakhs as security deposit and

other charges and told him that he will regain his Rs.5 lakhs with
Rs.50 lakhs. After verification Govind sent Rs.5 lakhs amount to get
his Rs.50 lakhs; but after paying the money, those lottery people
stopped contacting Govind. He tried to contact them but numbers
were not in service at that time.
Govind is now feeling that he is being deceived and he wants his

money back.
Solution:
• Govind can lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police

station.
Rs.1 lakh.
• It is also punishable under Section 419 of the
Nigerian Fraud Legislation on “advanced fee fraud”, Section 66-D
of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 420 of the
Indian Penal Code, 1860.
• Police will also investigate the bank accounts used in the fraud.
• Police will investigate the IPs of the sender of the e-mail as well as
phone numbers used in the scam.
4. Fake Travel Agent
Problem:
Neehar was posing as a genuine railway ticket agent and had been
purchasing tickets online by using stolen credit cards of non-
residents. Neehar created fraudulent electronic records/profiles,
which he used to carry out the transactions.

The tickets so purchased were sold for cash to other passengers.
Such events occurred for a period of about 4 months.
The online ticket booking service provider took notice of this and now
wants to find the fraudster.
Solution:
• The online ticket booking service provider can lodge a complaint

with the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell.
• Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 provides for
the punishment for cheating by impersonation. According to this
Act the person can be punished with imprisonment upto 3 years
and fine upto Rs.1 lakh.
• Police can trace IP address to service provider and ultimately to
the person who is involved in the crime.
5. Illegal Money Transfer
Problem:
Rohit was working in a BPO that was handling the business of a

multinational bank. Due to nature of his work and project he
regularly had access to sensitive database of the customers of bank.
Rohit, during the course of his work obtained personal identification

numbers (PIN) and other confidential information of the bank’s
customers.
Rohit and his accomplices, using this information transferred huge

sums of money from the accounts of different customers to fake
accounts through different cyber cafes. Total INR 19 million was
transferred.
Solution:
• Neeta can lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police station.

Rs.1 lakh.
• It is also punishable under Section 420 of Indian Penal Code,
1860.
• Police can lay a trap in a local bank where they had fake accounts
for illegally transferring money. IP addresses can be traced to the

internet service provider and ultimately to the cyber cafes through
which illegal transfers were made.
• Police can freeze the fraud accounts.
6. Online Stock Exchange Fraud
Problem:
Pritesh is working in a company, which does dealing in sale and

purchase of shares on behalf of clients. As a broker of the stock
exchange they were providing trading facilities of the equity and
futures and options markets to their sub-brokers/high net worth
individual clients. They do this at the clients’ premises through ISDN
lines/normal telephone lines/VPN with predefined passwords and
user IDs on their trading terminals.
A fraudulent trade was executed by selling a call option by using the

user ID and password provided to one of Pritesh’s client. An
interesting aspect was that this call option was most inactive for
trading purposes and no trade had taken place except for the
fraudulent trade.
The said call option was compulsorily exercised by the exchange thus
resulting in a loss of INR 0.05 million to Pritesh and wrongful gain to
the fraudster.
Solution:
• Pritesh can lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police

station.
Rs.1 lakh.
• It is also punishable under Section 420 of Indian Penal Code.
• Police will ask for information to company for the following:
Date - Buy Client Name/Address
Trade Number - Sell Member Code
Trade Time - Sell Trading Member Name
Trade Quantity - Sell Client Code/Name/Address
Buy Time - Buy Order Number
Buy Name - Sell Order Number
Buy Client Code
Police will investigate IPs, firewall logs of company, server logs, e-mail
IDs, computer systems of company.
PROTECT YOURSELF: CYBER CRIMES SECURITY TIPS*
1. Mobile Theft
• Contact your telecoms service providers: they can block your
SIM card and thereby prevent any fraudulent use.
• You will be asked for your mobile number, proof of ID and IMEI
code which is given in purchase receipt of your mobile
handset.
• File a police report as soon as possible, including a description
of your handset, and the serial and/or IMEI code.
• Police can track the location of mobile phone by tracking its
IMEI number.
Legal Remedies:
• Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 upto 3 years

imprisonment or fine or both.
• Section 66 B of ITAA, 2008–upto 3 years of imprisonment or
Rs.1 lakh fine or both.
Security Tips:
• Set a complex password that you'll remember but thieves won't

guess (don't use common passcodes like 1234 or 0000).
• Set your screen to auto-lock within five minutes.
• Smartphones incorporate GPS functionality, which when
enable can help to track the mobile.
• Make habit to take regular backup of your mobile data. Many
service providers offer this service free of charge.
• Download a mobile security app such as Lookout is an extra
layer of protection for your mobile.
2. Sending Unwanted Messages/Calls

• Lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police station
against all the mobile numbers which sends unwanted sms or
gives unwanted call.
• Police can investigate the complaint under Information
Technology Act, 2000, Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Telephone
Regulatory Act of India, 1997.

*
Dr.Sapna Sukrut Deo, Assistant Professor, New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth
Deemed University, Pune.

• At first police will contact with the service provider from whose
number the calls and multiple sms are coming and will acquire
the identification of the users and will file cases against them.
• If the identification of the users cannot be made by the service
providers then the service provider can stop the services of
those numbers under Telephone Regulatory Act of India, 1997.
• There is no need to change the number.
Security Tips:
• You can opt for the call barring facilities from your phone and
blacklist the numbers in your phone. Look out for in-built or
downloadable option to limit incoming calls.
• You can avail your service provider to activate DND services on
your phone if phones are from telecallers or marketing
companies.
3. Indentify Theft
• Criminals gets your identity from social networking websites,
job sites, matrimonial sites, special offers discounts coupons
by registrations, stolen wallets, online shopping , many more.
If you suspect that someone has used your identity
immediately lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police
station.
• Police can investigate the complaint under Section 66(C)) for
Identity theft and if your identity theft is used for sending
offensive messages then under Section 66(A) of the Information
Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 (ITAA, 2008).
Legal Remedies:
• Section 66(C) of ITAA, 2008–upto 3 years of imprisonment or

fine upto Rs.5 lakhs or both.
• Section 66(D) of ITAA, 2008–upto 3 years imprisonment and
fine upto Rs.1 lakh.
Security Tips:
• Make your password long, strong and unique, with a mix of

upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Do not share your personal data details over phone or by mail
or on social networking sites.
• Only accept friend requests from those you know on social
networking sites.

• Don't use the same user name and/or passwords on social

media sites that you do on your credit card or bank sites.
• Do not save personal files in a cyber café’s or friends PC.
• Remove matrimonial profiles from sites, once the purpose is
achieved.
• Do not use the same email id to received financial information
or transactions.
4. Fake Profile on Matrimonial Websites

• Posting incorrect information on age, religion or marital status
are the most common problems in online marriage portals, as
is lying about salary. If you are a victim of fake or
misrepresented matrimonial profiles on online portals. You
can directly file a complaint before the Adjudicating Officer,
Ministry of Information Technology, Information Technology
Act, 2000.
• The format for the complaint can be obtained from the website
and is required to be on a plain paper and submitted along
with the fees payable, which is calculated on the basis of
damages claimed by way of compensation.
• The police can traced real face behind the fake profile through
the IP address or bank account details used to make paid
profiles online.
• This is punishable under Section 66(C) of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 which provides punishment for identity
theft.
• The online dating and matrimonial portals being
“intermediaries” can be held liable under Section 79(3)(a) of
the Information Technology Act, 2000 if: “The intermediary
has conspired or abetted or aided or induced, whether by
threats or promise or otherwise in the commission of the
unlawful act”.
Security Tips:
• It is better to check credentials of the matrimonial site before

registering .
• For choosing life partner first it is important to find out that
whether that matrimonial site is registered or not.
• Check the authenticity of that website by asking people or
friends.
• To create a good profile sometimes wrong qualification or job
description is given. Verify the qualifications with certificates.
• Check the job description by verification on the job site or in
the company and by speaking with the company authorities.

• If the person is NRI or foreign resident proper enquiry is

company from his work place.
5. Phishing Scam
• The phishing fraud is an online fraud in which the fraudster
disguise themselves and use false and fraudulent websites of
bank and other financial institutions, if you think you are a
victim of phishing Lodge a complaint by going to the nearest
police station.
• Police can set up a trap in a local bank for investigating fake
accounts.
• If fraudulent money is transferred online then police can trace
IP address to service provider and ultimately to the person
who is involved in illegal money transfer.
Legal Remedies:
• The account of the victim is compromised by the phisher

which is not possible unless and until the fraudster
fraudulently effects some changes by way of deletion or
alteration of data electronically in the account of the victim
residing in the bank server. Thus, it is punishable under
Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
• The disguised email containing the fake link of the bank is
used to deceive or to mislead the recipient about the origin of
such email and thus, it is punishable under Section 66(A)
Information Technology Act, 2000.
• In the phishing email, the fraudster disguises himself as the
real banker and uses the unique identifying feature of the
bank or organization say logo, trademark etc., and thus, it is
punishable under Section 66(C) of the Information Technology
Act, 2000.
Security Tips:
• Banks never asks your passwords or PIN number by

mail. Never respond to these questions.
• Do not click on hyperlinks or links attached in the email that
asks you to provide confidential data.
• One should install security measures that will block the
phishing mails as well as phishing sites.
• Check the email if it is addressed in your name. Your bank
will always refer you with your name while fraudsters will
refer you as “Dear Customer” or “Dear Valued Customer”

because they send emails randomly to a million email

addresses.
• Never enter your credit card details and password in a
website.
• Do not share your account details, password, or credit card
details with anyone who you do not know or trust.
• Log in to your accounts regularly and look for account
transactions that you do not recognize.
6. Capturing, Publishing, or Transmitting Picture of a Private

Area without Person’s Consent or Knowledge
• Lodge a complaint by going to the nearest police station.
• Police can lodge complaint under Section 66(E) of the ITAA,
2008 for punishment for violation of privacy which is upto 3
years imprisonment or fine not exceeding Rs.2 lakhs or with
both.
Security Tips:
• Beware of hidden cameras in trial rooms, bathrooms, hotel

rooms, changing rooms, toilets, etc.
• In front of the trial room take your mobile and make sure that
mobile can make calls. If u can't make a call; you can check
that may be there is a hidden camera. This is due to the
interference of fiber optic cable during the signal transfer.
7. Hate Speech
• Any individual, who through the medium of social media
writes content as form of a “comment” which incites
communal hatred and/or violence, will be held accountable
under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
• The punishment stipulated under this section is 3 years’
imprisonment with a fine.
• Social media should remove such content from its servers
once it is brought to its notice. If it fails to remove the
content within the 36 hours stipulated by the Information
Technology Act Guidelines, it will lose the protection offered
under Section 79.
• In such a situation that social media company may be held
responsible as a contributing party and its executives may
be charged under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code,
1860.

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Cyber Law: Trends and Developments in India 1

INDIAN CYBERLAW ON CYBERCRIMES

Mr. Pavan Duggal∗

India is on the move. As the nation is progressing, there are

The Information Technology Amendment Bill, 2008 was passed by

The Information Technology Act, 20004 (hereinafter the IT Act,

Consequently, the Government of India tabled the Information

Due credit needs to be given to the government, for removing the

The lawmakers and the Government have to be complemented for

A careful analysis of the said amendments, clearly bring home the

The issues relating to confidential information and data of

Given the move to take an extremely lenient view on most

Another major failure of the amendments is that they have not

It is pertinent to note that the countries like U.S.A., Australia and

The IT Act amendments do not address jurisdictional issues17. At

The amendments to the Information Technology Act, 2000 make it

The most startling aspect of the amendments to the IT Act, 2000 is

A perusal of the said legislation shows that there is hardly any

However what amazes the lay reader is that the amendments to

Further, it is shocking to find that the existing language of the

Keeping in account human behavior and psychology, it will be but

The fertile liberal treatment meted out to cyber criminals, by the IT

Given this new development, it is probable that the concept of e-

The expectations of the nation for effectively tackling cyber crime

The entire issue relating to encryption as a process, has not been

Encryption is a process that scrambles information, such that it

Rather than addressing the complicated issues of encryption and

India's Guidelines and General Information for Setting up of

The practical problem is that encryption upto 40 bits of length is

India needs to harness the benefits and advantages of technology,

In conclusion, it can be safely stated that the changes that are

INTRODUCTION TO CYBERCRIME AND PROCEDURE TO REPORT

Mr. S.M. Babar∗

Cybercrime refers to any crime that involves a computer and a

Such crimes may threaten a nation’s security and financial health.

Computer crime encompasses a broad range of activities.

Procedure to Report Cyber Crime

To tackle the issue of cyber crimes, CIDs (Criminal Investigation

Step 1-One may need to provide name, mailing address and

Step 2-One must provide certain documents in order to register a

In case of hacking the following information should be provided:

• Where is the impact of the attack-identifying the target

In case of e-mail abuse, vulgar e-mail etc., the following information

Adjudicating officer is Secretary to IT department Maharashtra State.

Contact Information of Cyber Cells, Pune:

Police Helpline Numbers: +91-20-26123346, +91-20-

Contact Information of Cyber Cells, Mumbai:

Police Helpline Numbers: +91-22-22630829, +91-22-

SOME BASIC RULES FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

Ms. Vaishali Bhagwat∗

Today we are living in a completely wired world and with the

Myth No.1: Because it is technologically possible, it is legal.

Reality: Not legal!

It may be easily possible to break into somebody’s email account or

Myth No.2: Because the information is available on the internet

All information available on the internet belongs to the creator or

Myth No.3: Information available on the website is always true

Reality: Now this is a funny one!

Take Wikipedia for example. It has information that is posted by