Cyber fraud probes: GRM module offers online relief to account holders with frozen bank accounts; Raj police issues guidelines

Jaipur: People whose bank accounts have been frozen, lien-marked or placed on hold during cyber fraud investigations can now seek redressal entirely online through the Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) module developed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Rajasthan Police said on Monday.

Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) VK Singh said the module had emerged as an effective and transparent route for genuine account holders caught up in investigations because of suspicious transactions linked to their accounts. Where such cases earlier required repeated visits to police stations, banks and other offices, the entire process is now being run online with defined accountability, he said.

The GRM module operates under the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS). Its purpose is to allow a neutral examination of accounts frozen or lien-marked during cyber crime investigations so that legitimate holders can be granted relief.

Under the procedure, the aggrieved account holder first approaches the bank branch to apply for unfreezing or removal of lien. The bank verifies KYC details and transactions, registers the complaint on the GRM portal and generates a Grievance ID, after which the matter is forwarded to the investigating officer of the police station handling the cyber fraud case. The officer examines the transaction trail, suspicious activity and any link to fraud, and may hear the account holder’s version through video conferencing where required, before deciding whether to unfreeze the account, lift the lien or reject the request. The decision is then communicated to the bank.

If the request is rejected at the police station level, the account holder can appeal before the District-level Grievance Redressal Officer and, beyond that, the State-level Grievance Redressal Officer.

Accountability has been fixed at three levels on each side, according to the police. Within the police hierarchy, a Deputy Inspector General has been designated at the state level, an Additional Superintendent of Police or Deputy Superintendent of Police at the district level, and the investigating officer at the police station level. On the banks’ side, a National Nodal Officer, a State Grievance Officer and a Branch Grievance Officer have been appointed.

Rajasthan Police urged citizens not to share bank account details, OTPs or personal banking information with anyone, and said that anyone whose account is unexpectedly frozen but who considers themselves innocent should contact the bank branch immediately to initiate the GRM process. Cyber fraud or suspicious activity can be reported at the nearest police station, the cyber police station, the cyber crime portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in, the cyber helpline 1930, or the cyber helpdesk numbers 9256001930 and 9257510100.