Latest news with #ShikhaGoel
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Senior IPS officers transferred across Telangana
The Telangana government has issued a fresh round of transfers and postings for senior IPS officers, reshuffling key positions across various wings and districts. As per the government order (G.O.) dated June 4, Abhilasha Bisht (1994 batch), who was awaiting posting, has been appointed as Director of the RBVRR Telangana State Police Academy in Hyderabad. She takes over from V.V. Srinivasa Rao (1995 batch), who held the charge temporarily. Shikha Goel (1994 batch), who previously held multiple roles, including Director General of Police, CID, and in-charge of Women Safety initiatives, has now been appointed as Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau. She will also hold full additional charge of the Forensic Science Laboratory until further notice. Charu Sinha (1996 batch), who has returned from Central deputation, replaces Shikha Goel as Additional Director General of Police, CID. She has also been given additional charge of Women Safety, SHE Teams, and Bharosa initiatives in Hyderabad. In other changes, Tafseer Iqubal (2008 batch) moves from the Minorities Welfare Department to serve as DIG, Zone VI, Charminar. Among the district-level reshuffles, D.V. Srinivasa Rao (2013 batch) has been posted as Superintendent of Police (SP), Medak, while Patil Kantilal Subhash (2020 batch) replaces him as SP, Komaram Bheem Asifabad. S. Chaitanya Kumar (2020 batch) has been appointed as DCP, South East Zone, Hyderabad, stepping in for Subhash.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Telangana Forensic Lab is now ‘examiner of digital evidence'
The Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (TGFSL) was designated as a 'Government Examiner of Electronic Evidence' under Section 79A of the Information Technology Act 2000, by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, on Wednesday. With this notification, the NABL-accredited TGFSL is now empowered to examine, analyse, and certify digital evidence. This development not only enhances the admissibility of such evidence in courts across the country but also boosts the lab's legal authority and institutional credibility. 'The lab's Digital Forensics Division handles an average of 50 cases a month involving diverse digital storage formats and devices that include damaged hard drives and mobile phones. This wing has contributed significantly to several high-profile convictions in Telangana,' said Director General of TGFSL Shikha Goel. Notably, TGFSL has also set a national benchmark by prioritising forensic reports in POCSO cases, in accordance with Supreme Court directions.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
TGCSB's efforts pay off, cyber crime complaints across State drop by 11%
Hyderabad: Telangana State saw a significant drop in cyber crime, with a 11 per cent decrease in financial cyber crime complaints, and the total amount lost in cyber crimes decreased by 19 per cent, with a 5.5 per cent drop observed as compared to the September–December 2024 quarter. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) reported a substantial reduction in cyber crime complaints and financial losses during the first four months of 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024. Shikha Goel, director TGCSB said that Telangana improved its percentage of recovery (POH) of lost money from 13 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, demonstrating more effective complaint redressal and coordination with banks and platforms. The Bureau credits this progress to a combination of public awareness initiatives, proactive investigations, and strategic operations powered by data analytics and inter-agency collaboration. The State witnessed a 11 per cent decrease in financial cyber crime complaints from January to April 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. In contrast, cyber crime complaints across India increased by 28 per cent during the same period. As per the reports, the total amount lost in cyber crimes in Telangana decreased by 19 per cent from January–April 2025 compared to 2024. This reflects a more than 30 per cent reduction compared to the previous quarter (Sep–Dec 2024). The preliminary internal figures indicate a continued decline in both complaint volume and total losses in May 2025 when compared to May 2024. The FIRs increased from 6,763 (2024) to 7,575 (2025), improving the conversion rate from 18 per cent to 19 per cent. The number of arrested persons tripled, rising from 230 in early 2024 to 626 in 2025. The TGCSB's efforts to streamline processes, strengthen coordination with district police, and adopt data-backed tracking significantly contributed to higher case closures and quicker action against cyber criminals. Shikha Goel said that the reason behind the decline is the extensive awareness campaigns, as TGCSB conducted state-wide campaigns targeting digital arrest scams, investment frauds, and OTP-based crimes. The introduction of the 1930 Chatbot and improved IVR system helped reduce reporting time from six to seven minutes to under three minutes, ensuring faster freezing of fraudulent transactions during the 'golden hour'. Massive outreach was held through caller tunes, posters, school and college workshops, and district training programmes. SHIELD 2025 – the TGCSB-hosted cyber security conclave united law enforcement, tech platforms, and regulatory bodies to address emerging cyber threats. Additionally, real-time collaboration with banks and service providers improved fraud detection and transaction blocking. The director said, 'The TGCSB has adopted data-driven and technology-supported methods to identify cybercrime hotspots and successfully conducted two interstate and three intrastate special field operations. Moreover, advanced analytics, digital profiling, and OSINT tools are being deployed to support enforcement teams in identifying and arresting cyber criminals efficiently. Joint operation teams have been formed to execute interstate PT warrants, enhancing tracking and resolution capabilities.'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Telangana sees sharp dip in cybercrime
Telangana has reported a marked decline in both cybercrime complaints and financial losses in the first four months of 2025. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) attributes this drop to aggressive public outreach, faster complaint resolution, and an expanding tech-led enforcement framework. According to figures revealed by the bureau, financial cybercrime complaints between January and April fell by 11% compared to the same period last year. The trend held steady with a further 5.5% drop against the preceding quarter (September-December 2024). Cases of financial losses in Telangana dropped by 19% compared to early 2024. Across India, losses rose by 12% in the same time. The TGCSB also recorded an improvement in its recovery rate, the Percentage of Hold (POH), with 16% of defrauded money retrieved in 2025 so far, up from 13% last year. Besides, number of FIRs registered has risen from 6,763 in early 2024 to 7,575 this year. More strikingly, arrests have tripled, 626 accused have been taken into custody so far, compared to just 230 in the same period last year. Prisoner Transit (PT) warrant executions, a key marker of cross-jurisdictional policing, increased from 53 to 89. The bureau says its transformation into a tech-savvy crime-fighting outfit has played a crucial role. Data analytics, digital profiling, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools are now being routinely deployed. This has led to two major interstate operations and three intrastate field-level crackdowns in the last four months alone. The launch of the 1930 chatbot and a redesigned IVR system have reduced average reporting time from over six minutes to within three. TGCSB Director Shikha Goel credits this to a blend of quick response, granular data monitoring, and deeper integration with district police teams. 'The focus is no longer just on reacting to complaints. We are identifying hotspots, pre-empting fraud patterns, and moving faster than fraudsters,' she said.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Telangana sees drop in cybercrime complaints: Official
Hyderabad, Telangana reported a substantial reduction in cybercrime complaints and financial losses during the first four months of 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024, a senior police official said on Sunday. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau credits this progress to a combination of public awareness initiatives, proactive investigations, and strategic operations powered by data analytics and inter-agency collaboration, TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said in a release. Telangana witnessed 11 per cent decrease in financial cybercrime complaints from January to April 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, she said, adding that in contrast, cybercrime complaints across the country increased by 28 per cent during the same period. The total amount lost in cybercrimes in Telangana decreased by 19 per cent from January–April 2025 when compared to 2024. Nationally, cybercrime-related financial losses rose by 12 per cent during the same timeframe, Goel said. Telangana also improved its percentage of recovery of lost money from 13 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, demonstrating more effective complaint redressal and coordination with banks and platforms. The number of arrested persons tripled, rising from 230 in early 2024 to 626 in 2025. TGCSB has adopted data-driven and technology-supported methods to identify cybercrime hotspots and successfully conducted two interstate and three intrastate special field operations, Goel said. "Advanced analytics, digital profiling, and Open-Source Intelligence tools are being deployed to support enforcement teams in identifying and arresting cybercriminals efficiently. Joint operation teams have been formed to execute interstate PT warrants, enhancing tracking and resolution capabilities," the TGCSB Director said. TGCSB's efforts to streamline processes, strengthen coordination with district police, and adopt data-backed tracking significantly contributed to higher case closures and quicker action against cybercriminals, she said. TGCSB conducted extensive statewide awareness campaigns targeting digital arrest scams, investment frauds, and OTP-based crimes, Goel added.
