Gujarat: Surat Cyber Crime Cell returns Rs 2.52 crore to victims, more refunds await court orders
Surat, July 2
The Surat City Police facilitated the return of Rs 2.52 crore to 61 victims of cyber fraud during the first six months of 2026, while broader recovery efforts have secured court orders for refunds totalling Rs 13.38 crore for 1,824 applicants, highlighting the growing use of legal mechanisms to recover money lost in online financial scams.
The recoveries were made under the 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme, through which 15 beneficiaries were symbolically presented refund cheques by Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut on Wednesday.
According to Surat City Police, the recoveries relate to cyber fraud complaints registered between January 1 and June 30.
Following complaints lodged through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, the Surat City Cyber Crime Cell, along with all police stations in the city, coordinated with banks across several states to freeze suspect accounts and initiate the refund process.
"The Cyber Crime Cell worked in coordination with courts, Lok Adalats and banks across the country under the guidance of Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut and Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Karanraj Vaghela, with the process being directly supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Bishakha Jain," officials said.
During the six-month period, Surat City Police obtained court orders through Lok Adalats to facilitate the return of approximately Rs 13.38 crore to 1,824 applicants.
Police also stated that refund applications worth around Rs 7 crore involving 1,690 applicants have been submitted before the Lok Adalat scheduled for July 11.
Once court orders are received, the amounts will be credited to the respective beneficiaries' bank accounts after completion of the required procedures.
Appealing to the public to report cyber fraud without delay, Surat City Police said victims should immediately call the helpline, as prompt reporting increases the likelihood of freezing fraudulent transactions before funds are withdrawn.
Police also advised citizens not to download unknown applications or APK files received through suspicious links or messages sent in the name of RTO challans, and warned against clicking on suspicious SMS or email links.
They urged the public to remain cautious of social media groups and advertisements promising unusually high returns through online share market investments.
"Victims of sextortion, morphed photographs, nude video calls, digital arrest scams or any other form of cyber crime were asked to report incidents immediately through the helpline or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal," officials added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is encouraging news! My uncle lost ₹45,000 to a phishing scam last year and never got a penny back. The helpline 1930 needs more publicity - many people still don't know about it. Also, banks should cooperate faster when accounts are flagged. Happy for these 61 victims though! 😊
The 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme sounds promising, but why does it take 6 months to refund fraud victims? In this digital age, banks can freeze accounts instantly. There should be a 30-day mandate for refunds once fraud is proven. Also, more awareness needed about not clicking suspicious APK files - many educated people still fall for it.
Impressive coordination between police, courts and banks! In my country, cyber fraud refunds often take years. India's Lok Adalat system is quite efficient. Hopefully other cities replicate this model. The ₹7 crore pending for July 11 hearing shows there's still work to do, but progress is visible.
Good initiative but I'm skeptical about the actual recovery rate. The article mentions ₹13.38 crore for 1,824 applicants - that's just ₹73,000 per person average. Many victims lose lakhs. The real issue is that fraudsters use mule accounts and crypto, making recovery tough. Police need better cyber forensics training. But yes, every rupee returned matters.
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