Surge in Refunds: Telangana Lok Adalat Returns ₹45 Crore to 6,303 Cyber Fraud Victims
In a significant boost to cybercrime victim compensation, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), in collaboration with the Telangana State Legal Services Authority, banks, digital payment providers, and police units, conducted a Lok Adalat on June 20. The initiative led to the return of ₹45.21 crore to 6,303 victims of cyber fraud across the state.
The latest recoveries mark a sharp increase from the previous Lok Adalat session, where 4,627 victims received ₹24.91 crore. This represents an 81% rise in the amount refunded and a 36% increase in the number of beneficiaries, underscoring the growing effectiveness of the Lok Adalat mechanism in addressing cybercrime.
Among the police jurisdictions, the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate facilitated the highest recovery, helping 2,232 victims retrieve ₹21.91 crore. The TGCSB itself secured ₹6.83 crore for 77 victims, while the Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate arranged ₹4.04 crore for 779 victims. Hyderabad City Police assisted 755 victims in recovering ₹3.22 crore, and Sangareddy police facilitated ₹1.69 crore for 167 victims.
Since the inception of the Lok Adalat-based recovery mechanism, Telangana authorities have returned a total of ₹445.41 crore to 59,953 cybercrime victims across the state. Year-wise data reveals a steep upward trend: ₹8.36 crore was refunded in 2023, ₹183.9 crore in 2024, and ₹182.9 crore in 2025. In the current year, recoveries have already reached ₹70.07 crore.
Lok Adalats, or people's courts, are alternative dispute resolution forums that facilitate amicable settlements without prolonged litigation. Their use in cyber fraud cases allows victims to recover funds quickly, often through cooperation between banks and police. The Telangana model is being closely watched by other states as a potential template for tackling the growing menace of online financial fraud.
