Karnataka sees rising deepfake cybercrime cases, 12 reported

Karnataka is experiencing a rise in cybercrimes linked to deepfake technology, with police reporting 12 cases over the past two years. Seven of these cases occurred in 2024, while five were recorded in 2025 as of February 28. Deepfake videos, which can mislead social media users, have raised serious concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence. In 2023, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy warned the public after fake images and videos of him appeared online, urging vigilance and reporting to authorities. Another notable case involved a 22-year-old man from Belagavi, who was arrested for creating and sharing altered images of a woman after she rejected his advances. He used her name to craft a fake online profile. Police say that deepfake crimes are often personal and arise from grievances or revenge, making it easier to identify suspects. Although these cases are increasing, they still number lower than other types of cybercrime. Investigating deepfake cases typically requires less technical intervention than financial fraud, but raising awareness is crucial for encouraging victims to report these incidents quickly. Overall cybercrime in Karnataka has sharply increased. In 2023, the number of cases nearly doubled to 22,224 from the previous year's 12,885. The trend continued into 2024, with 22,415 incidents reported. By February 20, 2025, there had already been 2,251 cybercrime cases. To address these issues, the Karnataka government has introduced a Cyber Investigation Manual for police and established a Centre for Cybercrime Investigation Training & Research. The Home Minister stated the government is also training police to handle cybercrime cases better. In his recent budget proposal, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah allocated ₹5 crore to strengthen the Cyber Crime Division. However, experts believe this amount is too low and suggest it should be around ₹50 crore to better combat sophisticated cybercrimes.