Background and Timeline: Faced with a massive backlog of 1.17 lakh online complaints last year, the Bihar government proposed a legislative change in January 2026 to decentralize cybercrime investigations.   

Modus Operandi: Currently, the IT Act limits cyber investigations to officers of Inspector rank and above. With only 1,200 inspectors capable of finishing just 6-8 cases per year, Bihar is moving to empower its 13,000 Sub-Inspectors to handle cases directly. The state has already begun posting officers with IT backgrounds in all district cyber police stations.   

Victims and Financial Impact: In 2025, Bihar saw 6,319 formal cases and over 15,000 complaints specifically related to social media abuse and digital harassment.   

Investigation and Agencies Involved: The Bihar Home Department and DGP Vinay Kumar are coordinating with the Central Government to amend the Information Technology Act.   

Arrests and Suspects: While this is a policy news item, the state recorded 1,050 cyber-related arrests in 2025 under the existing model.   

Broader Implications and Trends: This reform signals a major shift in digital policing, treating cybercrime as a mainstream offense requiring massive local manpower rather than just specialized units.