Supreme Court may hand digital arrest scam probe to CBI amid nationwide fraud surge

Top court takes suo motu action as cyber frauds fake police, court orders to extort citizens

The Supreme Court on Monday signalled that it may hand over the investigation of India’s fast-spreading 'digital arrest' scams to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing the nationwide scale and sophistication of these cyber frauds.

According to PTI, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the gravity of such cases, which often involve impersonation of police officers or courts to extort money from victims, demands a coordinated national response rather than piecemeal state-level action.

Court move comes amid surge in digital arrest scams

The court’s observation came while hearing suo motu proceedings initiated after a disturbing case in Haryana’s Ambala, where fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials tricked a senior citizen couple into transferring Rs 1.05 crore.

Taking note of similar incidents surfacing in multiple states, the bench issued notices to all states and Union Territories, seeking detailed data on First Information Reports (FIRs) filed in connection with such scams. The case will be heard again on November 3, PTI said in the report.

CBI likely to take charge of nationwide probe

The Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, informed the bench that most of these cyber fraud operations are being orchestrated from offshore hubs like Myanmar and Thailand, making it difficult for state police forces to trace the masterminds.

Taking note, the bench asked the CBI to assess whether it needs additional cyber-forensics expertise or external technical support to effectively investigate the cases.

“We will monitor the progress of the CBI investigation and issue whatever directions are necessary,” the court said, hinting at a possible centralisation of the probe.

Why the Supreme Court stepped in

The court had earlier, on October 17, taken suo motu cognisance of the growing menace of online scams masquerading as official summons or police warrants.

It warned that such crimes “strike at the very foundation of public trust in the system”, especially as fraudsters have begun fabricating fake judicial orders to legitimise their extortion attempts.

The bench underlined that these are not “ordinary crimes” where routine police investigation would suffice. Instead, it called for joint coordination between central and state law enforcement to dismantle the wider criminal network.

What are ‘digital arrests’?

In digital arrest scams, fraudsters pretend to be officials from the police, CBI, or judiciary. Victims receive fake calls or documents claiming they are under investigation for money laundering or cybercrime. The scammers then coerce victims into video calls, “detain” them virtually, and extort large sums under the threat of legal action or imprisonment.

The scams have grown in scale over the past two years, with several cases emerging from Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Haryana.