SC says harsh, stringent action needed to deal with incidents of cyber crime, digital arrest scams

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday called for harsh and stringent action to deal with cyber frauds, particularly digital arrest scams, and said it will address the issue with an ‘iron hand’.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi expressed shock after being informed that nearly Rs 3,000 crore has been extorted from people through such scams.

“It’s shocking that almost Rs 3,000 crore has been collected from the victims, and this is just in our country. If we don’t pass harsh and stringent orders, the problem will magnify. We will deal with this with iron hands,” remarked Justice Kant.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and CBI submitted a sealed cover report before the bench.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that a separate unit in the MHA was dealing with the issue, and several steps are being taken.

After a brief hearing, the apex court stated that appropriate directions would be passed and posted the matter for hearing on November 10.
Last week, the top court issued notices to all states and Union Territories regarding incidents of digital arrest scams across the country.
It had asked all the states to furnish details of cyber arrest cases pending for investigation.

It had also contemplated handing over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and inquired whether the CBI has the resources to handle all cases across the country relating to such scams.

Earlier, the apex court took suo motu cognisance of incidents of digital arrest scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities to extort money from citizens, particularly senior citizens.

The top court had, in a previous hearing, observed that the fabrication of judicial orders bearing forged signatures of judges strikes at the very foundation of public trust in the judicial system, as well as the rule of law.

It had said such action constituted “direct assault” on the dignity of the institution.

“The fabrication of judicial orders bearing forged signatures of the judges strikes at the very foundation of the public trust in the judicial system, besides the rule of law. Such action constituted a direct assault on the dignity of the institution. Such a grave criminal act cannot be treated as an ordinary or routine offence of cheating or cyber crime,” the bench had observed.

The apex court had said that coordinated efforts between the central and state police are required to unearth the full extent of the enterprise involving forging judicial documents, extortion, robbery of innocent people, most importantly, the senior citizens.

The bench took suo motu cognisance of a complaint to the apex court by a senior citizen couple who have been defrauded of their life savings through a digital arrest scam last week.

The 73-year-old woman from Ambala alleged that scammers used forged Supreme Court orders to confine her in a digital arrest and extort more than Rs. 1 crore.

She claimed that the fraudsters produced a fake order purportedly issued by the Supreme Court judge.

The apex court had issued notice to the Union of India through the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the CBI through its Director, Principal Secretary Department of Home, and SP Cyber Crime at Ambala. It also asked the Haryana government and SP cyber crime Ambala to file the status report of the investigation that has taken place so far.

The bench had also sought the assistance of the Attorney General for India on the issue. (ANI)