Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the launch of the e-Zero FIR system, a pioneering initiative to fast-track the investigation of cyber financial crimes involving cheating values above ₹10 lakh. This system automatically converts complaints registered via the 1930 helpline or the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) into FIRs, enabling quicker and more effective action against cybercriminals.
The e-Zero FIR initiative, currently being piloted in Delhi, is designed to eliminate delays caused by jurisdictional constraints. It allows cybercrime complaints to be registered electronically and forwarded promptly to the appropriate territorial cybercrime police stations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that this system would soon be extended nationwide, further strengthening India’s cybersecurity framework under the vision of building a ‘cyber-secure Bharat’.
The initiative is driven by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It integrates three critical platforms - the I4C’s NCRP system, Delhi Police’s e-FIR system, and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) of the National Crime Records Bureau. This seamless integration ensures that complaints involving financial losses above ₹10 lakh lead to the automatic registration of a Zero FIR with the e-Crime Police Station of Delhi. These FIRs are then immediately routed to the relevant jurisdictional cybercrime police stations for investigation.
In accordance with the recently introduced provisions of Section 173 (1) and 1(ii) of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, the Delhi Police and I4C have established a robust process for the registration and transfer of these e-FIRs. The e-Crime Police Station of Delhi has been officially notified to register such FIRs and ensure their timely transfer to territorial police units handling cybercrime complaints of a specified nature.
Victims reporting cyber financial crimes will also benefit from the ability to visit their local cybercrime police station within three days to convert the Zero FIR into a regular FIR, thus facilitating faster recovery of lost money and punitive action against offenders.
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