HYDERABAD: Telangana has recorded the highest number and the highest crime rate of economic offences in the country in 2024, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. Telangana alone accounted for 18.2% of all economic offence cases registered in India, placing it far ahead of all other states on several critical parameters.With rising instances of cheating, fraud, cyber-linked financial deception, breach of trust and white-collar crime, the state registered 39,127 economic offence cases in 2024, a sharp jump of 45.6% from 26,881 cases in 2023.The most striking figure is Telangana’s crime rate of 102.1 economic offence cases per lakh population, the highest in the country and nearly 6.7 times the national average of 15.3. Kerala, at a distant second, recorded a crime rate of just 36.3, followed by Rajasthan at 33.6 and Haryana at 31.1.Telangana overtook all major states in total economic offences. Rajasthan reported 27,637 cases, Maharashtra 20,083 and Uttar Pradesh 18,670, all far behind Telangana despite their larger populations.Of the 39,127 economic offence cases, as many as 38,312 — nearly 98% — were related to forgery, cheating and fraud. Telangana alone contributed almost 20% of all fraud and cheating cases registered in India in 2024.The report also highlights the scale of financial frauds in the state. Telangana recorded 211 cases involving losses between Rs1 crore and Rs10 crore, 48cases involving losses between Rs10 crore and Rs25 crore, and seven cases involving losses between Rs25 crore and Rs50 crore.Investigation pendency remains a major concern. Telangana had 61,007 economic offence cases under investigation during 2024, including old and fresh cases. Of these, 26,651 cases remained pending at the end of the year. The state’s charge-sheeting rate stood at 39.8%, significantly below the national average of 53.3%.However, Telangana performed better in convictions. The state recorded a conviction rate of 40.2% in economic offence cases, higher than the national average of 33.8%. Telangana registered 1,828 convictions during the year.The NCRB data underlines how Telangana, particularly Hyderabad and surrounding urban centres, is witnessing a rapid rise in cyber-enabled financial frauds, online cheating, investment scams and digital economic crimes. The numbers also indicate that economic offences are emerging as one of the biggest policing and financial-security challenges for the state.
