Karnataka reports 12 DeepFake-related cases in two years

Deepfake cases are usually one-to-one crimes, often caused by individual resentment or revenge. |Picture source: File Photo

Karnataka has seen an increase in cybercrime related to Deepfake technology. Karnataka police have registered 12 such cases, seven in 2024 and five more in 2025 (as of February 28).

Using DeepFake videos to mislead social media users has raised concerns about the potential abuse of artificial intelligence (AI). In 2023, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy issued a public warning after such images and videos surfaced. He urged people to remain vigilant and report such incidents to the authorities.

In another case in 2023, a 22-year-old man was arrested for using the technology to create and share a deformed image of a woman. The defendant, an employee of a private company in Bangalore, targeted the woman after she rejected his progress in the Bellagarve area. He built a fake digital profile with her name and shared altered images online to destroy her reputation.

Revenge crime

A senior police official said that despite reports of Deepfake-related cases in Karnataka, its number remains relatively low compared to other forms of cybercrime. “Deep cases are often one-to-one crimes, often caused by individual resentment or revenge.

Regarding the infrastructure needed to investigate Deepfake crimes, officials said Deepfake crimes do not require extensive technical intervention or advanced tracking mechanisms, unlike financial fraud or large-scale hacking operations. “However, the challenge is to raise awareness of deep dangers and ensure victims report such cases quickly so that legal action can be taken as early as possible,” the official explained.

The sharp rise in cybercrime cases

The dramatic growth in cybercrime reflects the growing challenges posed by digital fraud, hacking and online fraud. There were 10,959 cases in Karnataka in 2020, while there was a decline in 2021, with the number falling to 8,363. However, this is short-lived as the 2022 event soared to 12,885.

The most shocking jump occurred in 2023, when the cases almost doubled to 22,224. The upward trend continued in 2024 with 22,415 cases. As of February 20, Karnataka has recorded 2,251 cybercrime cases in 2025.

Network Survey Manual

In response to a question from the Legislative Council, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the government had developed a web investigation manual that had been distributed to all police stations in the state.

He added: “The manual provides guidance on investigating cybercrime and raising public awareness to prevent such crimes.” He further said: “To control cybercrime and conduct a thorough investigation, we have established the Centre for Cybercrime Investigation Training and Research (CCITR).

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in a recent budget that the Cyber ​​Crime Ministry will strengthen with a grant of Rs 5 crore.

However, Netet Kumar, founder and global president of Cyber ​​Peace, a non-governmental organization and cyber policy think tank, said the allocation was insufficient. He said: “The ideal budget for the cybercrime sector should be around Rs 5 billion with a focus on research and innovation.