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New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
House panel in Andhra Pradesh seeks strict laws to curb loan, betting apps
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly's Petitions Committee, chaired by Deputy Speaker K Raghurama Krishna Raju, has called for stronger laws and systems to combat the rising threat of cybercrimes, particularly those involving fraudulent betting and loan apps. Speaking to the media at the Assembly premises, Raghurama said such apps have been deceiving thousands of unsuspecting individuals, causing serious financial and psychological harm. He was joined by committee members Anakapalli MLA Konatala Ramakrishna, Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, and Visakhapatnam North MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju. On the occasion, the Deputy Speaker noted that a petition from Bhimavaram had been discussed by the committee, highlighting the need for urgent intervention. 'Betting and loan apps are destroying lives. In Telangana alone, 950 people were duped last year. Though exact numbers for Andhra Pradesh are unavailable, officials estimate thousands have been affected,' he said. At the national level, the lack of centralised data makes it difficult to gauge the full scale of the issue, Raghurama added. The committee discussed existing laws, the efforts of the police, and the need to further strengthen cybercrime legislation. Raghurama cited ongoing legal proceedings related to the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 2020, which some have challenged in court, arguing that skill-based games should not be banned. 'The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's directive to constitute a panel to define skill and chance-based games. Though the committee submitted its report in August 2023 and the State filed a counter in August 2024, the case is still pending,' Raghurama said. He urged the Advocate General to expedite the hearing. He emphasised the need for new legal provisions through the Assembly to effectively counter cyber fraud and protect citizens. The committee has invited officials from the IT and Home Departments to attend its next meeting on July 18 for further deliberations.
Hans India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
State urges stronger laws to combat cybercrimes
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Petitions Committee called for the urgent need to formulate stronger laws and establish a robust system to protect innocent citizens from falling victim to rampant cybercrimes, particularly those involving betting and loan apps. This was announced by K Raghurama Krishna Raju, chairman of the Petitions Committee and Deputy Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Raju stated that measures would be taken to ensure a discussion on this critical issue during the upcoming Assembly sessions, aiming to alert the public, the government, and the administrative machinery. Speaking to the media, he revealed that the committee received a significant petition concerning cybercrime from Bhimavaram, which was extensively discussed in the Petitions Committee meeting on Thursday. He expressed concern over the rising number of cybercrimes through betting and loan apps, which are severely disrupting people's lives. Raju highlighted that the meeting thoroughly deliberated on existing laws to control these severe cybercrimes, necessary amendments, and the efforts being made by the police department. He recalled that when the Gaming Act-2020 was challenged in the High Court for banning 'skill games,' the court directed the formation of a committee to determine what constitutes a skill game versus a luck game. The Supreme Court upheld this, leading the government to form a committee that delivered its decision in August 2023. Although the government filed a counter-affidavit in the High Court last August, the case has yet to come up for hearing. The Deputy Speaker emphasised the necessity to further strengthen cyber laws through the Legislative Assembly to prevent people from falling victim to cybercrimes and, tragically, resorting to suicide. He called for an increase in the number of cyber police stations. Furthermore, Raju underscored the crucial need for public awareness campaigns about cybercrimes, utilizing film actors and prominent personalities to educate citizens. Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Petitions Committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Raghurama Krishna Raju. Attendees included Legislative Assembly Secretary General Prasannakumar Suryadevara, committee members Konathala Ramakrishna, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, Palla Srinivasa Rao, and Home Department Principal Secretary Kumar Vishwajit, among others.
