Punjab Police freeze 63,749 bank accounts linked to cyber fraud
Chandigarh, June 26
The Punjab Police's State Cyber Crime Division has frozen 63,749 bank accounts linked to cyber fraud involving transactions of nearly Rs 540.34 crore in the past one year, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Friday.
Since 2024, around Rs 64 crore has been recovered and refunded to victims, including nearly Rs 38.42 crore recovered since January 1, 2025.
During this period, 62,253 cybercrime cases have been registered across the state.
In the last financial year, the percentage of fraud proceeds successfully frozen increased from 16.13 per cent to 23.43 per cent, reflecting a significant improvement in financial recovery.
Sharing details, DGP Yadav said, "The large-scale crackdown against cyber fraud gangs has not only enabled Punjab Police to freeze thousands of fraudulent bank accounts and recover defrauded money, but has also helped expose organised cybercrime networks operating across the country."
"Our investigations have led to significant breakthroughs in identifying methods, financial trails and inter-state linkages used by cybercriminals. Through timely intervention, advanced technological capabilities and meticulous financial tracking, the Cyber Crime Division has been able to disrupt fraud networks, protect citizens' savings and ensure that offenders are brought to justice," he added.
Among the districts, Jalandhar Commissionerate recorded the highest number of frozen accounts at 16,032, leading to the recovery of Rs 6,81,00,323. Kapurthala followed with 7,344 frozen accounts and recoveries amounting to Rs 2,56,00,037. In Hoshiarpur, 7,201 accounts were frozen, resulting in recoveries of Rs 3,96,29,152, while 6,930 accounts were frozen in Ferozepur, leading to recoveries of Rs 93,16,954.
Highlighting one of the recent successes, the DGP said the State Cyber Crime Division has cracked a cyber extortion case involving a Punjabi resident based in Canada. The victim was contacted through social media on the pretext of resolving personal problems through online 'ardas' (prayer), persuaded to share a video and subsequently blackmailed with threats of circulating it on social media.
Acting swiftly on the complaint, the Cyber Crime Division arrested three people and recovered Rs 349,100 along with $500.
The case is among several successful operations carried out by the division in recent months.
Special DGP (Cyber Crime) V. Neeraja said besides tackling cyber fraud gangs, the State Cyber Crime Division is also working towards making citizens aware of how to avoid scammers' traps.
"The police are also focusing on sensitising youngsters regarding fake online grooming, cyber bullying, extortion, fake friendships and gaming platforms, which may lead to the sharing of sensitive personal information," she added.
According to Neeraja, the sustained enforcement drive, coupled with large-scale public awareness campaigns, reflects Punjab Police's multi-pronged strategy to combat cybercrime, safeguard citizens' savings and strengthen confidence in digital transactions across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some action! These cyber fraudsters have been ruining lives for too long. The 'ardas' scam targeting NRIs is particularly nasty—preying on religious sentiments. Good to see the Canadian angle being tackled. But only Rs 38 crore recovered out of Rs 540 crore fraud? We need banks to be more proactive in freezing accounts immediately after complaints.
This is reassuring! My uncle lost money last year and the police didn't help much back then. Seems like systems are improving. The 23.43% recovery rate is still low but moving in right direction. Also glad they're educating youth about fake friendships and gaming scams—these are becoming common in colleges. Keep it up Punjab Police! 👍
While this is commendable, I wish they would also focus on the bigger fish. Many cyber frauds originate from outside India—call centers in some countries. Freezing accounts is good but catching the masterminds is better. That said, Rs 64 crore returned to victims is real relief for families. Hope other states also take Punjab's approach seriously.
My father almost fell for a similar 'ardas' scam last month! These criminals target our faith. Thank you Punjab Police for taking action. The awareness campaigns mentioned are crucial—schools and gurdwaras should also spread this message. Also, banks need to alert customers when unusual transactions happen. Prevention is better than recovery!
Impressive numbers! But let's be honest—62,253 cases is terrifying. That means on average 170+ cases
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