SRINAGAR: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed Parliament that the e-Zero FIR system for cyber financial fraud has been introduced in Jammu and Kashmir, with 39 e-Zero FIRs registered since its rollout in July this year.
Responding to a starred question in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry said the system enables cyber financial fraud complaints lodged through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or the national cyber helpline 1930 to be automatically converted into e-Zero FIRs at the designated e-Crime Police Station of the concerned State or Union Territory.
The e-Zero FIR is then transferred to the jurisdictional cyber crime police station for investigation. However, the complainant is required to visit the concerned police station within three days to convert the e-Zero FIR into a regular FIR.
The Ministry said the system has so far been implemented in 18 States and Union Territories. Delhi has recorded the highest number of e-Zero FIRs at 6,115, followed by Chandigarh with 4,174. Jammu and Kashmir, where the system was introduced in July 2026, has registered 39 e-Zero FIRs.
The MHA also noted that Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, allows information relating to any cognisable offence to be reported orally or electronically to any police station, irrespective of where the offence occurred, providing the legal basis for the e-Zero FIR mechanism.
The Ministry clarified that while the Centre has provided the technological platform, policing and public order remain State subjects. Investigation of cyber fraud complaints, conversion of complaints into FIRs, filing of chargesheets, arrests and disposal of cases continue to be the responsibility of the respective State and Union Territory law enforcement agencies.
