How Microsoft is helping Maharashtra Police fight cybercrime with MahaCrimeOS

Microsoft

Cybercrime has been rising fast across India, and police officers are struggling to keep up with the huge number of complaints. In Maharashtra, the situation has been especially challenging. People are being tricked through fake investment apps, refund scams and text messages that look convincing. To handle this growing problem, the Maharashtra government has turned to technology, and Microsoft has stepped in to help.

This week, the state announced that a special investigation system called MahaCrimeOS AI will be used in all 1,100 police stations. Until now, it was tested only in 23 police stations in Nagpur. Officers there say the tool has made their work faster and much easier.

MahaCrimeOS AI works like a digital helper for police. When a cybercrime victim walks into a station with screenshots, bank statements, phone numbers or handwritten notes, the officer can upload everything into the system. The AI reads all the information and arranges it neatly in the case file. It also tells the officer what steps can be taken next and prepares the letters that need to be sent to banks or phone companies.

For officers, this is a big relief. Cybercrime cases usually involve long hours of checking documents and contacting many different agencies. Assistant Police Inspector Ashish Singh Thakur from Nagpur said that earlier it took two to three months to gather information for one case. With MahaCrimeOS AI, he can finish the same work in about a week. He now handles more cases without feeling overwhelmed.

The Maharashtra government set up a special unit called MARVEL to introduce AI in policing and public service. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the goal is to use AI in a responsible way that helps citizens and makes government work smoother.

The results are already showing. A bank clerk in Nagpur who was cheated by a fake stock trading app was able to file her complaint in just 15 minutes because the police could quickly upload everything into MahaCrimeOS AI. Officers began working on her case immediately and have already recovered some of her money.

India reported more than two million cybercrime complaints last year. With MahaCrimeOS AI now expanding across the entire state, Maharashtra hopes to respond faster, reduce losses and give victims better support.

Microsoft says the partnership shows how AI can help governments serve people more effectively. For the police on the ground, it simply means they have a strong new tool to fight back against online crime.