Rajasthan Police have launched an investigation after a hacker group identifying itself as “ScarletGroup” claimed to have breached police databases and accessed more than 86 lakh emails, along with sensitive personal information and official records. The group allegedly offered the stolen data for sale on a dark web forum, raising concerns over the security of government databases and confidential law enforcement information.
Cyber Crime Deputy Inspector General Shantanu Kumar confirmed that multiple teams were examining the claims. Police have neither confirmed nor ruled out a breach, and investigators are working to establish whether the information originated from compromised government systems or other sources.
What Data Was Allegedly Stolen?
In a post circulated online, ScarletGroup claimed to have accessed 5,926 mailboxes containing approximately 86.3 lakh emails and more than 78.3 lakh unique email addresses allegedly associated with Rajasthan Police.
The group also claimed to possess 70,301 identity records and 59,460 mobile phone numbers.
Beyond email information, the hackers alleged that they had obtained data belonging to the Rajasthan government’s Department of Information Technology and Communication (DoIT&C), including 1,065 mailboxes, 69 login credentials, 21 virtual private network (VPN) logins and 64 VPN certificates reportedly associated with senior officials.
These figures remain unverified, and authorities have not established whether the information was obtained through a direct intrusion into government systems.
Were Confidential Police Records Exposed?
The group also circulated documents purported to be copies of first information reports (FIRs) and call detail records (CDRs). The hackers claimed to possess electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) records, witness statements and confidential information allegedly extracted from the official email accounts of senior police officers.
The authenticity of these documents and the circumstances under which they were obtained remain under investigation. Investigators are examining whether the material was accessed through police servers, compromised email accounts or information previously shared through other channels.
The possibility that some documents originated from private email accounts or publicly circulated material has also not been ruled out.
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How Are Police Investigating?
Cyber Crime DIG Shantanu Kumar said the state had received information suggesting that ScarletGroup had obtained important data from several government departments, including Rajasthan Police.
“We received input that the Scarlet Group had stolen important data from several departments, including Rajasthan Police. Our Cyber Commando Team and Incident Response Team have begun working on this. The Rajasthan Cyber Security Operations Centre of the state DoIT has also begun working,” Kumar said.
He confirmed that no vulnerability had been identified so far and that the authorities were still examining the alleged breach.
The matter has also been referred to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) is assisting investigators in gathering information about the alleged leak. Police are examining whether government servers or networks were compromised and how the group obtained the documents it circulated.
Kumar said investigators would be able to reach a definite conclusion only after receiving findings from the three teams examining the incident.
What Security Measures Were Taken?
According to police sources, the state cyber team and officials from the Department of Information Technology and Communication contacted the hacker group through Telegram to assess its claims and intentions.
The discussions reportedly involved a possible payment of between $100 and $200, although no agreement was reached.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Police have initiated precautionary cybersecurity measures across the state. Police personnel have been instructed to change their official email passwords immediately and update their laptops and mobile phones.
District officials have also been directed to comply with cybersecurity guidelines as investigators continue examining the alleged compromise.
Has the Breach Been Confirmed?
Rajasthan Police have not confirmed that their systems were compromised.
Kumar cautioned that some of the documents circulated by the hackers could have originated from private email accounts or material already shared on social media.
However, he stressed that investigators had not yet established the source of the information.
“We can say anything concrete only after receiving reports from all three teams,” he said.
The Rajasthan Police website remained inaccessible at the time the incident was reported, although the reason for its unavailability had not been established.
What Does This Mean?
The alleged breach raises concerns about the protection of sensitive police records, official communications and government login credentials. If verified, the exposure could affect the confidentiality of investigations and personal information held by law enforcement agencies. The findings of the ongoing investigation will determine whether government systems were compromised and the actual extent of any data exposure.
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