Pavan Duggal suggests immediate remedies against cyber frauds

New Delhi: Dr Pavan Duggal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, and a pioneer name in the country's cyber security law campaigns, told journalists at the Zee Media group that everyone has the right to have unlawful access to their data deleted from the digital domain. He was referring to old films and images that have surfaced on the internet after years in a targeted attempt to ruin one's image.

He spoke at length about cyber fraud, data misuse, and possible urgent remedies. He used the example of a couple filming their private moments while on their honeymoon and then disagreeing about the supposed misuse of the tape. He stated that such events might result in a three-year prison sentence and a Rs 5 lakh fine, adding that this type of crime can also be recorded within a seven-year span.

Duggal stated that if a person is a victim of online abuse or fraud, they should not remain silent because speaking up might be advantageous in the long run. If a complaint is submitted within 10 days rather than the initial 72 hours, 90 percent of the money lost in cyber fraud may be recovered. A large number of digital crimes have been reported in rural areas, where vulnerable elderly people and the digitally illiterate populace have been victims and have lost their hard-earned money.

He stated in his closing remarks that the media must be more alert against unconfirmed news and fraudulent data manipulation.