The Karnataka High Court has directed the State Government to operationalize cyber command centres, appointing qualified officers to oversee their functions, in an effort to combat the rise of cyber crime.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, a single-judge bench, emphasized the necessity of these centres, stating, “The establishment of cyber command centres to tackle cyber crimes and enhance cyber security would mark the beginning of a new era in addressing modern digital threats. This paradigm shift is essential.”
Background
This directive was issued while granting relief to Newspace Research and Technologies Private Limited, which had petitioned for the formation of a Special Investigation Team to supervise and monitor the probe into a case registered under Sections 66, 66(B), and 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, as well as Sections 318(2), 318(3), and 318(4) of the BNS.
The company had filed a complaint against its former employees, alleging data theft, including proprietary software and designs for high-altitude drones utilized by Indian defense forces for border security. The petitioner claimed that law enforcement was influenced by a Rajasthan Police official, resulting in the accused evading arrest despite the crime being registered 90 days earlier. The coordinate bench, while rejecting the accused’s anticipatory bail plea, had noted the necessity of custodial interrogation. However, the accused were taken into custody only after the Court intervened.
Justice Nagaprasanna remarked, “This is not an ordinary complaint of simple data theft—it is a case of cyber crime. A Special Investigation Team must be constituted as the prevalence of cyber crimes has increased, yet no technical experts are available to investigate such cases.”
The prosecution informed the Court that a new Investigating Officer had assumed charge a week earlier and had made progress in the inquiry. It was suggested that the Court could monitor the investigation and ensure that reports were submitted accordingly. Contesting the petition, the prosecution argued that forming a Special Investigation Team was unnecessary.