The Supreme Court of India recently took decisive cognizance of an alarming new wave of cybercrime known as “digital arrest” scams, ordering every state and Union territory to submit details of all related investigations within a week. The directive, issued by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, comes amid mounting reports of victims — particularly senior citizens — being extorted through elaborate impersonation schemes.
The court’s order followed a suo motu petition triggered by a distressing letter from a 73-year-old couple in Ambala, Haryana, who were defrauded of over ₹1 crore by criminals posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials. These fraudsters, using forged judicial documents and fake video proceedings, convinced the couple that their assets were about to be seized under a supposed Supreme Court order.
“This court cannot ignore such brazen misuse of its name and authority,” the bench observed earlier this month, warning that the scams “strike at the very foundation of public trust in the judicial system.”
Anatomy of the ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam
The “digital arrest” phenomenon represents an evolution of cyber extortion — one that blends digital impersonation, psychological coercion, and cross-border criminal networks. In a typical case, victims receive a call or message from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer or intelligence agent. The caller fabricates charges — often linked to money laundering or narcotics — and demands that the victim remain visible on a video call for hours, even days, as part of a so-called “judicial inquiry.”
During this staged ordeal, victims are shown doctored summons or “court orders,” complete with seals and letterheads of the Supreme Court or CBI, and are pressured to transfer funds to avoid “arrest.” Investigators say the term “digital arrest” stems from the fact that victims are effectively held hostage through a screen, unable to disconnect for fear of repercussions.
Haryana’s additional advocate general, Lokesh Singhal, informed the bench that several such cases have been reported in the state and are under active investigation.
The Case for a CBI-Led, Pan-India Investigation
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted a note prepared by the CBI highlighting the multi-dimensional nature of the problem — financial, technical, and human. The agency warned that these crimes are not confined to national borders. In many instances, Mehta said, the perpetrators themselves are victims — young Indians and Southeast Asians trafficked or lured abroad with false job offers, only to be forced into cybercrime operations colloquially known as “pig-butchering” factories.
Recognizing the international scope of these rackets, the bench remarked, “We expect the CBI to take up the investigation. Only they can do it. Pan-India, these digital arrests have happened, and nothing will move forward unless there is a uniform probe.” The justices also suggested that states could lend manpower to the CBI to accelerate investigations and facilitate coordination with foreign enforcement agencies and Interpol.
The court cited its previous precedent in ordering central investigations into multi-state scams, such as the subvention fraud involving builders and banks, as a possible model for the forthcoming digital arrest inquiry.
A Cross-Border Challenge With Human Consequences
The Supreme Court bench further referenced reports of “cyber slavery” in Southeast Asia, where young individuals from India, Myanmar, and Cambodia are held captive in fraud compounds and coerced into scamming global targets. The justices drew parallels between these operations and the cross-border networks implicated in digital arrest schemes, underscoring the urgency of international cooperation.
India has recently observed a surge in complaints tied to such scams, many routed through foreign IPs, masked phone numbers, and cryptocurrency wallets. Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) say the operations are increasingly sophisticated — combining AI-generated documents, deepfake video calls, and foreign payment channels.
The Supreme Court is set to revisit the matter on November 3, when all states and Union territories are expected to submit detailed reports on ongoing investigations. For the victims — often elderly, isolated, and digitally vulnerable — the court’s intervention marks the first major national acknowledgment of a cybercrime that weaponizes both technology and trust.
