A practical guide to hiring a cyber crime lawyer in Mumbai - practice areas, courts, process, costs and frequently asked questions - by Adv. (Dr.) Prashant Mali, Ph.D. cyber lawyer at the Bombay High Court.
If you are a victim of online fraud, or you have been named in a cyber crime FIR, the internet suddenly feels like a hostile place and the law feels far away. This page is a plain-language guide to what a cyber crime lawyer does, how cyber cases work in Mumbai, and answers to the questions people most often ask. It is information, not legal advice - every case turns on its own facts.
Adv. (Dr.) Prashant Mali advises and represents both victims and the accused in matters including: online banking, UPI and credit-card fraud; "digital arrest" and investment/task scams; SIM-swap fraud; data theft and source-code theft; online defamation, trolling and fake profiles; sextortion and morphing; ransomware and data breaches; cryptocurrency fraud; intellectual-property and domain disputes; and DPDPA/data-protection compliance. Representation spans the Magistrate and Sessions Courts, the Bombay High Court, TDSAT, the Adjudicating Officer under the IT Act, and WIPO.
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Police Matters when Police Calls or Filing a Police Complaint
A cyber crime lawyer is an advocate who specialises in offences and disputes involving computers, the internet and digital data - under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and related laws. They help victims file complaints and recover losses, defend the accused (including bail), handle electronic evidence, and appear before cyber courts, tribunals and the High Court.
Look for genuine, verifiable specialisation - not just a general practitioner who occasionally takes cyber matters. Useful signals include a demonstrated track record in cyber and electronic-evidence cases, technical understanding of how digital fraud works, authored books or research in the field, recognitions from credible bodies, and honest communication (a lawyer who guarantees an outcome is a red flag - no ethical advocate can). Ask about experience with your specific problem, whether banking fraud, defamation, bail or data protection.
Act fast - the first hours matter most for recovery. (1) Call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in immediately; quick reporting can freeze the fraudster's account before the money is withdrawn. (2) Preserve everything - screenshots, transaction IDs, SMS, emails and call records (but keep the originals intact). (3) Inform your bank in writing to flag the transaction. (4) Consult a cyber crime lawyer to file a proper FIR and pursue recovery and compensation.
Do not ignore it, and do not give a statement without legal advice. A notice under Section 35 of the BNSS requires you to cooperate with the investigation, not to incriminate yourself. Speak to a lawyer first where arrest is a risk, a timely anticipatory bail application can protect you. See the Cyber Crime Police Liasoning page
Fees depend on the nature and complexity of the matter, the court involved, and the stage of the case, so they cannot honestly be quoted as a flat figure. What can be said is that acting early — before a problem escalates or an arrest happens — is almost always less expensive and less stressful than acting late. Discuss the fee structure openly at the first consultation.
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It depends on the matter: criminal cyber cases begin before the Magistrate/Sessions Courts; compensation claims for data/financial breaches under the IT Act go before the Adjudicating Officer; appeals lie to TDSAT; and constitutional or privacy remedies (such as Right to be Forgotten) are pursued by writ in the Bombay High Court.
Can a lawyer help remove defamatory content, a fake profile, or leaked photos?
Yes. Remedies include intermediary takedown requests, action under Section 69A and the IT Rules, criminal complaints, and - where speed is essential - a writ petition or civil injunction. Morphing, sextortion and non-consensual image NCII cases are treated with particular urgency.Writ Petition – Bombay High Court page
Digital-arrest scams - where fraudsters posing as police/CBI intimidate victims over video calls - are a 2024–2026 epidemic. Recovery is possible but time-critical: report to 1930/cybercrime.gov.in at once so the beneficiary accounts can be frozen, then pursue the complaint and compensation with legal help. The faster the report, the better the odds.
Yes - identity theft is punishable under Section 66C of the IT Act, and cheating by personation under Section 66D and the BNS. A lawyer can help you file a complaint, get fraudulent accounts or content blocked, and protect you from wrongful liability.
Yes, but only if they meet the law. Electronic evidence must satisfy Section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 — including the certificate and hash value requirement upheld by the Supreme Court in Pune Bar Association v. Union of India (2026). Bare screenshots, without metadata and certification, are increasingly rejected. Read the Electronic Evidence blog
Yes. Alongside individual matters, this office advises corporates, startups, banks, celebrities and HNIs on data breaches, DPDPA compliance, employee data theft, AI governance, and cyber-fraud response. See Data Protection & DPDPA Lawyer → See AI Lawyer India
Yes. Consultations are available online as well as in person at the Andheri and Bandra (Mumbai) offices, and this office assists clients across India and internationally.
Adv. (Dr.) Prashant Mali is a Ph.D. cyber crime and data protection lawyer practising at the Bombay High Court, Mumbai, with 25+ years' experience in cyber law, cyber security and IPR. He is the author of 8 books on cyber law and the creator of DPDPA.com, and has been recognised with honours including "Best Cyber Lawyer 2017" (India Legal Summit, presented by Sr. Adv. Soli Sorabjee) and "Cyber Security Lawyer of the Year: India" (Financial Monthly, UK). Read the full profile
Whether you are a victim seeking recovery or facing a cyber crime FIR, contact Adv. (Dr.) Prashant Mali for a confidential consultation online or in person at the Andheri and Bandra (Mumbai) offices.
Disclaimer: This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice or solicitation, nor does it create a lawyer–client relationship. No outcome is promised or implied. Please consult a qualified advocate about your specific situation. Last updated: July 2026.