Karnataka: Crime

There is an alarming call in Bangalore for addressing the security issues related to cyber crimes in the city. In this regard, a cumulative proposal was made in the recently held Cyber Security Summit 2011 to set up an additional bench of Cyber Appellate Tribunal (CAT) in India’s IT hub Bangalore. Currently, the CAT in Delhi is the only existing bench in the country.

The first cyber police station in India was set up in Bangalore, and till now about 600 cases have been registered as cyber crime. Every year an average of 10 per cent of registered cases reach the tribunal desk in Delhi from Karnataka state alone. In order to release the burden over central tribunal and to save time, money and energy of people residing in South India, setting up an additional bench of tribunal in south is being viewed as a welcome proposal.

At present, IT Secretary of the concerned state is functioning as adjudicating officer, hearing the cyber crime related cases from the state. If the appellant or the accused is dissatisfied with the outcome, he/she is supposed to approach CAT’s Delhi bench. One can further move to High Court and later Supreme Court. If the proposed additional bench is set up in Bangalore, it will cut short the way of proceedings. The cases of the Southern part of India can be addressed in Bangalore bench without going far away to Delhi.

Speaking in the two days summit, Rajesh Tandon, chairman, Cyber Appellate, Delhi, said: “Bangalore being the heart of India’s IT sector, can serve as a better option to start up the additional bench. If the concerned authority hands over the proposal of setting up a Southern bench to me, I will place it before the Centre.” In response to this, M.N. Vidhyashankar, Principal Secretary for State IT, BT and S&T told TSI: “The proposal for Cyber Appellate Bench in Bangalore is under advanced consideration, as soon as it gets clearance from our side, we will forward it to Delhi Bench. Bangalore has a major role in leading the country against cyber crimes. An additional bench in the city will definitely be an added advantage.”

In addition to this, in order to educate masses regarding cyber crime issues, the state government has made arrangements to set up a cyber lab in Mangalore which will start operating in a month. Plans are also under consideration to start similar labs in Hubli-Dharwad and Mysore region in the coming days. Such a lab is already working in Bangalore.