Which police station has jurisdiction for an online/cyber fraud complaint?

Question

I'm confused about where to file my complaint since the fraud happened online and the accused could be located anywhere in India or abroad. I would rather settle this without going to court if the law allows it, but I need to know my rights before I sign anything. Please tell me what to do first and what document to keep.

MyVakeel Legal Desk · Accepted Answer

Under Indian law, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 – Section 178 is the starting point for this cyber law question. What follows is the position in substance, together with the steps that usually make the difference in practice.

Because cybercrime is inherently location-agnostic, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) allows you to file a complaint centrally regardless of your location or the accused's location, and it is auto-routed to the relevant state cyber cell based on your location.

Under BNSS Section 173 (Zero FIR provision), you can file an FIR at any police station regardless of where the offence occurred, and it must be registered and then transferred to the police station with actual jurisdiction — you cannot be turned away for 'wrong jurisdiction'.

Section 75 of the IT Act gives it extra-territorial application — the Act applies to offences committed outside India too if they involve a computer/network located in India, which is relevant when the accused or servers are based abroad.

For financial fraud specifically, always additionally call 1930 (irrespective of where you file the FIR), since this triggers the RBI-backed fund-freeze mechanism which is time-critical and separate from the FIR registration process.

If police refuse to register your complaint/FIR, you can send a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police (Section 175(3) BNSS) or approach the Magistrate directly to direct registration of the FIR.

What to do next: 1) File first at cybercrime.gov.in and separately call 1930 for financial fraud; 2) Approach any nearby police station for a Zero FIR if needed, they cannot refuse for jurisdiction reasons; 3) If refused, send a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police; 4) Approach the Magistrate under BNSS if the police still do not act.

If you are unsure whether your facts fall inside Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 – Section 178, that is worth checking with an advocate before you commit to a route, because switching later costs time. You can post the details on the MyVakeel forum for a practising advocate to review, or book a paid consultation with a Bar Council verified lawyer in cyber law.