Shimla, Mar 28 (PTI) A sharp surge in cyber frauds has been witnessed in Himachal Pradesh, with a total of 585 cases registered in the state in the past three years up to January 31, 2026, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the house on Saturday.
Responding to a question from BJP MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, the chief minister said these frauds involved transactions amounting to over Rs 150 crore, and in some cases, the collusion or negligence of bank employees has come to light.
Four bank employees have been arrested in connection with such cases. Sukhu stated that a total of 258 accused have been arrested in these cases, and over Rs 10 crore has also been recovered.
The highest number of 99 cases was registered in Solan district which comprises the Baddi industrial area followed by 67 in Kangra, 30 in Mandi, 28 in Kinnaur, 25 in Sirmaur, 17 in Shimla, 13 in Una, 12 in the Nurpur Police District, 10 each in Chamba and Kullu, seven in Hamirpur, four in Lahaul-Spiti and one in Bilaspur district.
According to district-wise data, 49 individuals were arrested in Solan, 15 in Chamba, 29 in Kangra, four in Lahaul-Spiti, two in Mandi, 24 in Sirmaur, 19 in Kinnaur, 11 at the Cyber Police Station in Shimla, 49 at the Cyber Police Station in Mandi, and 55 at the Cyber Police Station in Dharamshala.
In this era of technology and Artificial Intelligence, the rising number of digital fraud cases poses a serious challenge, the chief minister said, adding that the state government is continuously taking measures to tackle these cases.
Cyber Help Desks have been established in 146 police stations across the state. Additionally, eight officers have already undergone specialised training, while 29 other officers are currently undergoing training.
Additionally, since last year, digital awareness camps have been organised at schools, colleges, and the Panchayat level.
The chief minister also stated that these figures represent only the registered cases and that many instances of digital fraud may not have been reported yet. PTI BPL HIG HIG
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