Punishment for Cyber Crime in Nepal 2026: ETA 2063 Penalties & Bureau

Punishment for Cyber Crime in Nepal: ETA 2063 Penalties, Cyber Bureau & Complaint Guide

Updated May 26, 2026
By : Notary Nepal
8 min read

Table of Contents

Cyber crime in Nepal is punishable primarily under the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 (2008) — commonly called the ETA or Nepal's "cyber law" — supported by the Muluki Criminal Code, 2074 (2017) privacy provisions and the Individual Privacy Act, 2075 (2018). Penalties range from a NPR 50,000 fine for minor assistance offences to five years' imprisonment and NPR 100,000 fine for publishing illegal electronic content under Section 47. This 2026 guide explains every section of the ETA with its exact punishment, the role of the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, how to file an online cyber-crime complaint, and the latest 2024 data on cybercrime cases in Nepal.

Quick Answer: The punishment for cyber crime in Nepal depends on the offence under the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063. Publishing illegal content (Section 47) is punishable with up to 5 years imprisonment + NPR 100,000 fine; unauthorised access / hacking (Section 45) with up to 3 years + NPR 200,000; computer fraud (Section 51) with up to 2 years + NPR 100,000. Complaints are filed with the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police (Bhotahiti, Kathmandu — Tel: 01-4219044 / 9851286770) or online at cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np.

What Is Cyber Crime in Nepal? (साइबर अपराध भनेको के हो?)

Cyber crime (साइबर अपराध) refers to any offence committed using a computer, mobile device, digital network, or the internet. In the Nepali context, the term covers everything from hacking a Facebook account to financial fraud through mobile wallets, online harassment, posting defamatory content, sextortion, phishing, and unauthorised data access. Nepal's legal framework defines and criminalises these acts primarily through the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063.

Cyber Law in Nepal — Governing Legal Framework

There is no single standalone "Cyber Crime Act" in Nepal as of 2026. Instead, cyber crime is prosecuted under a combination of laws:

Law	Year (BS / AD)	Relevant Scope
Electronic Transaction Act (ETA)	2063 (2008)	Primary cyber-crime statute — Sections 44–58 define offences, penalties & tribunal
Muluki Criminal Code	2074 (2017)	Privacy violation (Sections 293–298), defamation, extortion, obscenity — often used alongside ETA
Individual Privacy Act	2075 (2018)	Protects personal data, digital identity, consent for collection/use
Children's Act	2075 (2018)	Child pornography, online exploitation of minors
Copyright Act	2059 (2002)	Digital piracy, software copyright
Banking Offence & Punishment Act	2064 (2008)	Online banking fraud, ATM / card skimming, e-wallet fraud
IT Bill (draft)	Pending 2026	Proposed comprehensive replacement of ETA — not yet enacted; ETA remains in force

The complete ETA 2063 text in Nepali and English is on Nepal Law Commission — lawcommission.gov.np. A related read: Electronic Transaction Act Nepal — Full Explanation.

Punishment for Cyber Crime in Nepal — ETA 2063 Section-by-Section

The Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 defines specific cyber offences in Chapter 9 (Sections 44 to 58). Below is the verified punishment table, with every section and its maximum penalty:

Section	Offence	Maximum Imprisonment	Maximum Fine (NPR)
44	Pirating, destroying or altering computer source code	3 years	2,00,000
45	Unauthorised access to computer materials (hacking)	3 years	2,00,000
46	Damage to computer and information system	3 years	2,00,000
47	Publication of illegal materials in electronic form (obscene / hate / defamatory)	5 years	1,00,000
48	Confidentiality to divulge	2 years	10,000
49	Giving false information in digital signature / licence application	2 years	1,00,000
50	Submitting or displaying fake licence or certificate	2 years	1,00,000
51	Committing computer fraud	2 years	1,00,000
52	Abetment to commit computer-related offence	6 months	50,000
53	Non-submission of statement or documents	—	50,000
54	Offence by / against government computer system — plus 50% additional penalty	+50% of above	+50%
55	Offence committed outside Nepal — prosecutable if it affects a Nepalese computer/network	Same as applicable section	Same

Section 47 ("Prakashan" / publication of illegal materials) has historically been the most-used section for online hate speech, defamation, sexually explicit content, and false information. The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued directives on its application to prevent misuse.

Types of Cyber Crime Commonly Prosecuted in Nepal

Hacking & Account Takeover — Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, bank accounts. Prosecuted under Section 45 (unauthorised access) + Section 46 (damage).
Online Financial Fraud / Phishing — fake IMEPAY/eSewa/Khalti messages, OTP fraud, cloned bank SMS. Section 51 (computer fraud) + Banking Offence Act.
Identity Theft & Impersonation — fake profiles, catfishing, morphed images. Section 47 + Muluki Criminal Code Sections 295, 306.
Cyber-bullying, Online Harassment, Trolling — Section 47 + Muluki Section 298.
Sextortion & Revenge Porn — Section 47 + Privacy Act 2075 + Muluki Section 294, 295.
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) — Section 47 + Children's Act 2075, with much stricter enhanced punishment.
Data Breach / Leak — Section 48 (confidentiality breach) + Privacy Act 2075.
Software Piracy & Digital Copyright Theft — Section 44 + Copyright Act 2059.
E-commerce Fraud — fake Daraz-style sellers, Facebook marketplace scams. Section 51.
Ransomware & Malware Attacks — Section 46 (damage) + Section 45.

Cybercrime Cases in Nepal — 2024 / 2025 Statistics

According to the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau annual report, complaints rose steadily through FY 2081/82:

Year	Registered Complaints (Cyber Bureau)	Dominant Category
FY 2079/80 (2022/23)	~9,013	Social-media harassment & financial fraud
FY 2080/81 (2023/24)	~11,400+	Financial fraud, sextortion, account takeover
FY 2081/82 (2024/25)	~14,000+ (rising)	Online scams, deepfake harassment, e-wallet fraud

Over 80% of complaints relate to social-media offences (Section 47) or financial fraud (Section 51). Conviction requires digital evidence — screenshots, URLs, transaction IDs, chat logs preserved with metadata.

Where the ETA does not directly cover a conduct (for example, unauthorised recording of a private call), the Muluki Criminal Code, 2074 fills the gap:

Section	Offence	Punishment
293	Unauthorised listening to / interception of conversation	Up to 2 years + NPR 20,000
294	Unauthorised recording	Up to 2 years + NPR 20,000
295	Taking / publishing photograph without consent; morphed photos	Up to 3 years + NPR 30,000
296	Opening someone's letter / electronic communication without consent	Up to 1 year + NPR 10,000
298	Causing harassment (including electronic)	Up to 3 years + NPR 30,000

Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police — Role & Contact

The Cyber Bureau is the specialised investigative wing of Nepal Police established in 2017 under the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). It is the primary authority for registering, investigating, and forwarding cyber-crime cases to the District Attorney for prosecution.

Cyber Bureau, Nepal Police — Head Office

Address: Bhotahiti, Kathmandu

Phone: 01-4219044 / 01-4214400

Hotline / Mobile: 9851286770

Email: cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np

Online complaint portal: cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np

Emergency: 100 (Nepal Police control room)

How to Report Cyber Crime in Nepal — Online & Offline

Option 1 — Online Complaint Portal

Visit cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np and click "Online Complaint / उजुरी दर्ता".
Fill in: full name, citizenship/passport number, address, contact number, email.
Describe the incident in clear factual language — include date, time, platform (Facebook, WhatsApp, bank app), usernames/URLs involved.
Attach evidence — screenshots (with URL visible), chat exports, transaction receipts, call logs, emails with full headers.
Submit; you receive a complaint reference number via SMS/email. The Bureau contacts you for clarification within 3–7 working days.

Option 2 — In-Person Complaint

Visit the Cyber Bureau in Bhotahiti, Kathmandu with printed evidence and a written application (nivedan) addressed to the Chief of the Bureau.
Outside Kathmandu: report at your nearest District Police Office — they register the FIR and forward serious cases to the Cyber Bureau.

Option 3 — By Phone / Email

Call 9851286770 or email cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np with a summary and evidence attached. You will still need to submit a formal signed complaint, but telephonic triage helps urgent cases (ongoing sextortion, live fraud).

Documents to Attach with a Cyber-Crime Complaint

Copy of citizenship certificate or passport
Screenshots with full URL, date and timestamp visible
Chat/email exports with metadata (unedited)
Transaction screenshots / bank statement (for fraud)
Call details record (CDR), if telephonic
Notarised affidavit describing the incident (often requested by Bureau for court-ready cases)

Legal Process After Filing a Cyber Crime Complaint

Complaint registration — Bureau issues a reference number.
Preliminary investigation — digital forensic review of URLs, IP traceback, service-provider cooperation.
Summoning & interrogation — the suspect is called for statement; arrest warrant if evidence is strong.
Case transfer to District Attorney — charge-sheet (abhiyogpatra) filed in the competent District Court (the IT Tribunal envisaged in ETA Section 60 is not fully operational; District Courts handle cyber cases).
Trial & judgment — District Court pronounces sentence; appeal lies to High Court, and then Supreme Court.

Corporate Liability for Cyber Crime in Nepal

Under ETA Section 58, if a cyber offence is committed in the course of a company's business:

The company itself is liable — fine imposed on the company
Every director, officer, employee who knowingly consented, connived, or failed to prevent the offence is personally liable
Directors can avoid liability by proving due diligence and lack of knowledge

Recent & Landmark Cyber-Crime Developments in Nepal

Supreme Court directive on Section 47 (2023): the Court held that Section 47 must not be used to curb legitimate free speech; arrests for social-media posts require concrete evidence of defamation, obscenity, or hate.
TikTok ban lifted (August 2024): the Government restored TikTok after the platform agreed to appoint a Nepal liaison officer and cooperate with the Cyber Bureau.
Draft Information Technology Bill (pending): proposes to replace ETA 2063 with stricter data-protection obligations, platform registration, and a dedicated Cyber Security Authority. Still under parliamentary review as of early 2026.
Deepfake & AI-generated content: being prosecuted under Section 47 + Muluki 295 until specific AI provisions are enacted.

Tips to Protect Yourself from Cyber Crime in Nepal

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all email, social and banking accounts.
Never share your OTP, PIN, or CVV — no bank or e-wallet will ever ask for it.
Verify Facebook Marketplace / Daraz sellers before advance payment.
Preserve evidence immediately — don't delete messages before reporting.
For sextortion: do not pay, block the account, screenshot, report to the Cyber Bureau within 24 hours.

Need a notarised affidavit for your cyber-crime complaint? The Cyber Bureau and District Courts often require a self-declaration (swaghosana) or an affidavit stating that the screenshots and chat logs submitted are true and unaltered. Notary Nepal provides same-day notary public affidavit services and certified English-Nepali translation of digital evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under the Electronic Transaction Act 2063, cyber-crime punishment ranges from a NPR 50,000 fine (abetment, Section 52) to 5 years' imprisonment plus NPR 100,000 fine for publishing illegal electronic content (Section 47). Hacking and unauthorised access carry up to 3 years plus NPR 200,000 (Section 45), while computer fraud attracts up to 2 years plus NPR 100,000 (Section 51).

साइबर अपराध (cyber crime) refers to any offence committed using a computer, mobile phone, internet or digital network — including unauthorised access (hacking), online fraud, posting defamatory or obscene content, identity theft, sextortion, cyberbullying, and data breaches. Nepal's primary law against these offences is the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 (विद्युतीय कारोबार ऐन, २०६३).

The primary law is the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063 (2008). It is supplemented by the Muluki Criminal Code 2074 (privacy offences, Sections 293–298), the Individual Privacy Act 2075, the Children's Act 2075 (online child abuse), the Copyright Act 2059, and the Banking Offence and Punishment Act 2064. A draft IT Bill to replace the ETA is under parliamentary review as of 2026 but has not yet been enacted.

File an online complaint at cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np by clicking "Online Complaint / उजुरी दर्ता". Fill in your identity, contact details, and a factual description of the incident, then upload evidence (screenshots with visible URL, chat logs, transaction receipts). You receive a reference number by SMS/email and the Cyber Bureau contacts you within 3–7 working days.

The Cyber Bureau is located at Bhotahiti, Kathmandu. Phone: 01-4219044 or 01-4214400. Hotline mobile: 9851286770. Email: cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np. Online portal: cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np. In emergencies you can also dial 100 (Nepal Police control room). Outside Kathmandu, report at your nearest District Police Office, which forwards serious cases to the Bureau.

The most common types prosecuted by the Cyber Bureau are: hacking and account takeover, online financial fraud (phishing, OTP fraud, e-wallet fraud), identity theft and fake profiles, cyber-bullying and online harassment, sextortion and revenge pornography, child sexual abuse material, data breaches, digital copyright violation, e-commerce fraud, and ransomware/malware attacks. Over 80% of registered complaints relate to social-media offences or financial fraud.

Section 47 of the Electronic Transaction Act 2063 punishes the publication of illegal materials in electronic form — including obscene, hateful, defamatory or false content — with imprisonment of up to 5 years, a fine of up to NPR 100,000, or both. The Supreme Court has directed that Section 47 must not be used to curb legitimate free speech and that arrests require concrete evidence of the specific harm (defamation, obscenity, or hate) alleged.

Hacking (unauthorised access to computer materials) is an offence under Section 45 of the ETA 2063, punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years plus a fine up to NPR 200,000. If the hacking causes damage to the computer system, an additional offence under Section 46 (up to 3 years + NPR 200,000) applies. If it involves a government computer system, the penalty is increased by 50% under Section 54.

Yes. Section 55 of the Electronic Transaction Act 2063 gives Nepal extraterritorial jurisdiction: any cyber offence committed outside Nepal is punishable here if it affects a Nepalese computer, network, person, or institution. In practice, the Cyber Bureau coordinates with Interpol and foreign service providers (Meta, Google) to obtain evidence and trace offenders abroad.

Yes, but with modifications. Under the Children's Act 2075 and the Muluki Criminal Code, children above 10 years are held responsible with reduced punishment, and those under 10 are not criminally liable. Offenders between 10–18 are tried in juvenile bench proceedings with rehabilitation focus. Parents may also be asked to give a surety bond.

Submit: (a) screenshots showing the full URL, date, time and username; (b) chat/email exports without alteration; (c) transaction screenshots and bank statements for financial fraud; (d) call detail record (CDR) for telephonic offences; (e) your citizenship/passport copy; and optionally (f) a notarised affidavit describing the incident. Do not delete the original messages before reporting, as metadata is essential.

Not formally. The Cyber Bureau and District Police require the complainant's identity for legal proceedings so they can record statements and testify if needed. However, you can provide anonymous tips or intelligence (for instance about ongoing fraud networks) by phone or email, and the Bureau may act on them separately.

Do not pay the extortionist — payment encourages repeat demands. Immediately screenshot all messages, profile URLs, and payment-request details. Block the account. Report to the Cyber Bureau within 24 hours via cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np or by calling 9851286770. Sextortion is prosecuted under ETA Section 47 plus Muluki Section 295 and the Individual Privacy Act 2075.

Yes. Under Section 58 of the ETA 2063, a company is liable for cyber offences committed in the course of its business, and any director, officer, or employee who knowingly consented, connived, or failed to prevent the offence is personally liable. Directors can avoid liability by proving due diligence and lack of knowledge of the offence.

Although ETA Section 60 envisaged a dedicated IT Tribunal, it has not been fully operational. In practice, cyber-crime cases are filed by the District Attorney in the competent District Court after investigation by the Cyber Bureau. Appeals go to the High Court, and finally to the Supreme Court of Nepal.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, advertisement, or solicitation. Notary Nepal and its team are not liable for any consequences arising from reliance on this information. For legal advice, please contact us directly.