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Until now, history sheets were generally maintained only for known criminals with a record of repeated civil or criminal offences
File photo of Telangana Police personnel. (PTI)
In a first-of-its-kind move in the country, the Telangana Police has decided to open “history sheets” for habitual offenders involved in social media crimes and financial fraud.
According to the police, the aim is to keep a close watch on such individuals and curb what they described as “nefarious conduct”. Until now, history sheets were generally maintained only for known criminals with a record of repeated civil or criminal offences.
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As reported by The Indian Express, an official memo issued by the Cyber Crime Police on September 23 outlined the decision, which is based on earlier instructions from the Director General of Police (DGP), Jitender.
On September 5, the DGP issued a directive asking officers to closely monitor repeat offenders who misuse social media platforms or engage in online financial scams.
The memo instructed officers to begin opening suspect or history sheets against individuals described as “habitual and addicted offenders” involved in cybercrimes. This includes not only those who have been convicted but also those under investigation.
“Instructions to open suspect/history sheets on all the habitual and addicted offenders/accused persons who are involved in social media offences and financial frauds and ensure close surveillance over the activities to curb their nefarious conduct,” the memo stated.
According to the memo, these history sheets will be used to track both convicted offenders and “suspects” accused under Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant clauses of the Telangana State Police Manual (TSPM).
This means individuals accused, even if not yet convicted, of misusing social media or engaging in financial fraud can now be added to the history sheet database for monitoring.
A senior Hyderabad police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that many of the repeat offenders use online platforms to target women and vulnerable groups.
“There is every reason to open these history sheets because several online social media trolls are targeting women and other weaker sections. There are also repeated offenders who post defaming content against people they do not like,” the official said.
When asked whether political activists using social media would also be included, the officer made it clear that the new order applies to anyone found violating laws related to online behaviour, regardless of political affiliation.
The official added that the initiative also targets financial fraudsters who repeatedly deceive innocent people.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Telangana, India, India
September 25, 2025, 19:58 IST
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