A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and Joymalya Bagchi said it was “shocking” that more than ₹3,000 crore had been taken from victims — many of them senior citizens — through such frauds. The court said it would take strict and strong action against those involved in these crimes.
“If we don’t pass stringent and harsh orders, this problem will magnify. We have to strengthen the hands of our agencies through judicial orders. We are determined to deal with these crimes with an iron hand,” the bench observed.
The judges reviewed reports submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI informed the court that these scams are often operated from offshore locations, where organized syndicates run “scam compounds” with financial, technical, and human resources.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the CBI, said that the MHA’s cybercrime division is actively addressing the issue.
The Supreme Court took up the matter after receiving a letter from an elderly woman in Ambala, Haryana, who said that she and her husband were virtually “arrested” by fraudsters pretending to be CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and judicial officers. The scammers showed them fake court orders through video calls and extorted ₹1.05 crore from them in September. Two FIRs have since been registered by the Ambala cybercrime department.
The case will be heard again on November 10, when the court is expected to issue specific directions based on suggestions from an amicus curiae (a legal expert appointed to assist the court).
Earlier, on October 27, the Supreme Court had indicated that it might hand over all digital arrest cases to the CBI for investigation, given their wide reach across the country. It also asked the agency if it required more technical experts and resources to probe such crimes effectively.
The apex court first raised concerns about digital arrest scams on October 17, calling them a serious threat to public trust. It said that forging court orders and using the names of judges and institutions for fraud is a grave offence that goes beyond ordinary cheating or cybercrime.
These scams have been rising sharply in recent months, targeting vulnerable people through video calls, fake IDs, and threats of legal action. The Supreme Court’s strong stance signals that a nationwide crackdown on digital arrest syndicates could soon follow.
Tags:
Cybercrime
