Shocking that well-educated people getting duped in cases of 'digital arrests': SC

The CJI, who was heading a bench which also comprised Justice Joymalya Bagchi, flagged the recent case of an old woman who was duped of her entire retirement benefits in one of such cases.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it was shocking that well-educated people were getting duped in cases of 'digital arrests'.

Attorney General R Venkataramani mentioned the suo motu case concerning victims of digital arrest before a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.

The CJI flagged the recent case of an old woman who was duped of her entire retirement benefits in one such case.

“It is shocking that well-educated people are getting duped like this,” the bench said.

The AG submitted that an inter-departmental internal meeting has happened, and the final meeting will happen soon. He said that the authorities concerned are moving very fast.

He urged the apex court to take up the suo motu case for hearing on May 12.

The CJI referred to the case of an elderly woman whom he knew in his official capacity.

“Unfortunately, her entire retirement benefits have been duped,” he said.

Digital arrest is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers, court officials or personnel from government agencies to intimidate victims through audio and video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay money.

Amicus curiae and senior advocate N S Nappinai said victims often “freeze” when confronted with threatening calls from fraudsters posing as police and enforcement authorities. The senior counsel stressed that such situations made it difficult for them to respond rationally.

The amicus suggested that intermediaries should introduce a "kill-switch" to terminate such transactions, and technological safeguards by intermediaries could help prevent irreversible financial losses. A counsel submitted before the bench that it was most unfortunate that despite the apex court hearing a suo motu case regarding digital arrest, such incidents were continuously coming to light.

The bench scheduled the matter for hearing on May 12.

The court had earlier termed the siphoning of over Rs 54,000 crore by digital frauds as "absolute robbery or dacoity", and directed the Centre to draft a standard operating procedure in consultation with stakeholders like the RBI, banks and the Department of Telecommunications to deal with such cases.

The court had on October 17, 2025 took a suo motu cognisance of rising incidents of online frauds in the country, especially 'digital arrests'.