Gauhati High Court Judge Justice Nelson Sailo has warned that cyber crime is rising rapidly across India, with over 86,000 cases registered nationally in 2023 alone.
He made the remarks on Friday while addressing a one-day training programme on cyber crime held in Aizawl, speaking to an audience tasked with understanding and responding to the growing digital threat landscape.
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Justice Sailo placed the cyber crime surge in its broader legal context, pointing to a landmark shift in Indian constitutional law.
In 2017, the Supreme Court of India recognised the Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution — a ruling that has since shaped how lawmakers and courts approach data protection and digital security.
In direct response to that ruling, Parliament enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) in 2023, designed to safeguard citizens' data rights and reinforce privacy protections in an increasingly connected world.
Zooming in on the local picture, Justice Sailo shared figures that underline why training programmes like this one matter even in smaller states.
Between 2022 and 2026, Mizoram recorded 361 cyber crime cases — and with five cases already registered in the first few months of 2026 alone, the trend shows no signs of slowing.
For a state of Mizoram's size, the numbers point to a challenge that law enforcement, the judiciary, and the public will need to address together with greater urgency and digital awareness.