‘Will Deal With Iron Hand’: Supreme Court On Rising Digital Arrest Frauds

Last Updated:November 03, 2025, 16:07 IST

The court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in the matter and scheduled the next hearing for November 10

The Supreme Court of India in New Delhi. (File photo)

The Supreme Court on Monday vowed to take a tough stand against the growing menace of digital arrest scams, calling the scale of such cybercrimes “shocking" and warning that failure to act firmly could worsen the situation.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and Joymalya Bagchi said the issue must be dealt with “an iron hand" after reviewing confidential reports submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The reports revealed that cybercriminals have extorted over Rs 3,000 crore from unsuspecting victims across India, many of whom are elderly citizens.

Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters posing as police officers, government officials or court representatives to intimidate victims through fake video and audio calls. Using forged documents and falsified court orders, the criminals coerce people into paying large sums of money under the pretext of avoiding arrest or prosecution.

“It is shocking that over Rs 3000 crore have been collected from the victims, including senior citizens, across the country," Justice Surya Kant observed.

“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 iron hands," he added.

The court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in the matter and scheduled the next hearing for November 10, when it plans to issue further directions. The CBI informed the court that several of these fraud networks operate from abroad, running “scam compounds" equipped with financial, technical and human support systems. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the MHA’s cybercrime division is actively working on the issue.

The Supreme Court took up the matter after receiving a letter from an elderly woman in Ambala, Haryana, who reported that she and her husband were “digitally arrested" by scammers pretending to be officials from the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and judiciary. The couple was allegedly forced to transfer Rs 1.05 crore to the fraudsters. Two FIRs have since been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Earlier, the top court had expressed concern over the rising number of such cases, saying that forging judicial orders and impersonating officers undermines public faith in the justice system. It had also suggested that the CBI might be tasked with investigating digital arrest cases nationwide and asked whether the agency required more specialised cyber experts.

(With inputs from PTI)

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