The action was led by 23 special teams of the STF, which conducted searches at multiple locations and served legal notices to absconders. Notices were also pasted outside the homes of more than 30 individuals who had been evading arrest in cyber fraud cases.
Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh said, “Uttarakhand Police is the first in the country to take such large-scale, coordinated action against cybercriminals. This operation sends a strong message that cyber offenders cannot escape the law.” He added that the campaign is a decisive step towards tackling cybercrime and improving coordination with other state police agencies.
The STF teams, operating from cybercrime police stations in Dehradun and Rudrapur, worked closely with local police units and technical agencies to collect crucial information, including mobile numbers, bank account details, social media profiles, and other digital evidence. As a result, 52 absconding cybercriminals were identified and served legal notices.
The STF also obtained B-warrants for seven cybercriminals who were already in custody in other states and secured remand for further investigation. Additionally, six bailable warrants issued by the courts were executed.
During the raids, the police discovered that 225 individuals had opened bank accounts and acquired mobile connections using fake documents. This data was shared with police departments in other states for further action.
The STF had earlier formed special teams in April to target 337 cybercriminals identified in more than 200 cases across 28 states and union territories. In the first phase of ‘Operation Prahar’, 272 individuals will be targeted, followed by 65 in the second phase.
The cybercriminals identified include 40 in Delhi, 38 in Maharashtra, 28 each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 25 in Tamil Nadu, 18 in West Bengal, 17 in Karnataka, and 16 in Gujarat, among others. The list also includes individuals in states such as Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Jharkhand, Goa, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh.
According to police data, cybercrime losses in Uttarakhand rose sharply by 146%—from ₹69 crore in 2023 to ₹170 crore in 2024—driven mainly by digital arrest scams and investment frauds. This translates to daily losses of over ₹46.57 lakh to cyber fraudsters.
The STF said that ‘Operation Prahar’ will continue in phases to ensure strict legal action against cybercriminals and protect citizens from online fraud.
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Cybercrime in India
