Maharashtra recorded 10,505 cyber financial fraud cases between January 2025 and May 2026, resulting in the arrest of 2,379 accused, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
In a written reply to legislators, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, outlined the scale of cybercrime across the state and highlighted the government's efforts to strengthen cyber security infrastructure and public awareness.
| Category | Figures |
|---|---|
| Total cyber financial fraud cases (Jan 2025–May 2026) | 10,505 |
| Total accused arrested | 2,379 |
| Mumbai fraud amount (2025) | Rs 1,031 crore |
| Amount frozen in Mumbai | Rs 110 crore |
| Pune fraud amount (Jan–May 2026) | Rs 200 crore |
| Ahilyanagar fraud losses (2025) | Rs 37.76 crore |
| Amount frozen in Ahilyanagar | Rs 7.02 crore |
| Nagpur fraud losses (2025) | Rs 82 crore |
| Amount frozen in Nagpur | Rs 3 crore |
Ahilyanagar emerged as one of the state's major cybercrime hotspots, recording 5,141 complaints in 2025. The cases included digital arrest scams, fake share trading schemes, hotel rating frauds, and malware attacks through malicious APK and PDF files.
The district reported losses of Rs 37.76 crore, while authorities managed to freeze transactions worth Rs 7.02 crore.
A notable case involved a retired government employee from Kopargaon who lost Rs 87.3 lakh after fraudsters threatened him with a so-called digital arrest. Police arrested one accused and filed a chargesheet on April 29. So far, Rs 42.18 lakh has been returned to the victim, while efforts continue to recover the remaining amount.
Case 1: Kopargaon Victim Loses Rs 87.3 Lakh
Case 2: Navi Mumbai Resident Cheated of Rs 1.54 Crore
| City/District | Cases | Fraud Amount | Arrests | Amount Frozen |
| Mumbai (2025) | 4,825 | Rs 1,031 crore | 1,410 | Rs 110 crore |
| Pune (Jan–May 2026) | 536 | Rs 200 crore | NA | NA |
| Ahilyanagar (2025) | 5,141 complaints | Rs 37.76 crore | NA | Rs 7.02 crore |
| Nagpur (2025) | 136 | Rs 82 crore | 83 | Rs 3 crore |
Apart from these cases, Nagpur city registered 30 cyber fraud complaints involving senior citizens between January and May 2026.
Pune also reported 17 cyber fraud cases involving fake messages, links, and APK files circulated in the name of Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL), causing losses of Rs 88 lakh.
To tackle increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, the Maharashtra government has operationalised the Maharashtra Cyber Security Project at Mahape in Navi Mumbai.
Key initiatives include:
The government plans to launch a statewide cyber awareness campaign through WhatsApp while continuing to promote reporting through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the cybercrime helpline 1930.
Current awareness efforts include:
With cyber fraud cases continuing to rise, authorities have urged citizens to stay vigilant, avoid sharing personal financial information online, and report suspicious activities immediately to improve the chances of fund recovery.
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