Cyber Crimes Gripping India Hard

The growing incidences of cyber crimes in India are an indicator that India must urgently do something in this regard. The recent cyber law and cyber crimes trends by Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB) also corroborate this phenomenon.

Meanwhile international community has become serious to tackle cyber crimes and illicit networks. Google and Interpol have decided to fight back terrorism and illicit networks using their technology.

Similarly, Europol would lead a project that would collaborate upon cyber crime intelligence capabilities across the world.  Many African countries are also working on the direction of formulating cyber laws for their respective countries.

India has formulated its cyber law in the year 2000 when it enacted the information technology act 2000 (IT Act 2000). However, with the passage of time it was required to be suitably amended. India failed to achieve this crucial task and is now facing a situation that if not tackled immediately would bring adverse effects to its economy.

In fact leading techno legal experts like Praveen Dalal, managing partner of ICT law firm Perry4Law, believe that cyber law of India should be repealed and a better cyber law must be urgently enacted to tackle the growing menace of cyber crimes and cyber attacks against India.

It is high time for Indian legislature to take notice of this situation and enact suitable laws for India that can take care of cyber crimes, cyber attacks and critical infrastructure protection in India.

Use Of Technology To Fight White Collor Crimes

White collar crimes are on rise across the globe. The main feature of white collor crimes is that they are financially motivated, nonviolent in nature and are generally committed for illegal monetary gain.

Cyber crime has become an important part of white collor crimes these days. Through cyber crimes money of gigantic proportions can be misappropriated that also with least risk. Further, due to lack of cyber awareness, cyber crimes are committed very successfully and most of the time the financial losses occurred due to the same is irreversible.

According to Praveen Dalal, managing partner of Perry4Law and CEO of PTLB, with the introduction and use of Hidden Internet and Deep Web white collor crimes have taken a new shape. The Law Enforcement Technologies and methodologies are still struggling to deal with basic level Cyber Crimes and highly sophisticated Cyber Crimes are still not within the reach of Law Enforcement Agencies. 

The global consensus in this regard is shifting towards use of technology to fight cross border crimes and cyber crimes. The use of technology to fight drugs, human trafficking and illicit networks has already been proposed be few thought it outcome is yet to be seen.

E-Courts In India Needed

Technology has great potential to streamline the judicial system of India. Electronic courts (e-courts) are the most apt example of the same. Clearly e-delivery of justice in India is urgently needed. However, there are many reasons for the failure of e-delivery of justice in India in general and e-courts in India in particular.

Even the techno legal expertise needed to successfully implement e-court project of India is missing. We have a single techno legal e-courts training and consultancy centre in India managed by Perry4Law and Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB).

In the past some steps have been taken in this regard but they are grossly inadequate and clearly misguided. E-filing of cases and documents is still missing and all that we have are computerised courts. Till July 2012 we are still waiting for the establishment of first e-court of India.

The latest development in this regard is the passing of the Court Fee Amendment Act in May 2012 by the Delhi legislature. The same has also received Presidential assent and a gazette notification may be issued in this regard very soon. Once the Act is notified, payment of court fee can be done electronically and online filing of cases may be possible. But for the time being, e-courts in India are missing.

Another cause of concern regarding successful establishment of e-courts in India is the poor cyber security. Cyber security in India is not up to the mark and cyber security of courts and e-courts is not even contemplated. Insecure e-courts can create more problems than solutions opine Praveen Dalal, managing partner of Perry4Law and a Supreme Court Lawyer. Successful implementation of e-courts project in India requires adherence to multiple techno legal aspects that are presently missing, says Dalal.

Let us see how Indian government in general and courts in particular would react to this position that is defeating all the initiatives in this regard.