SC takes suo motu cognisance of digital arrest scams, seeks Centre, CBI response

The Supreme Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of cases of cyber arrest scams, in which crooks pose as law enforcement bodies or judicial authorities to blackmail money from citizens, especially elderly citizens, and asked for a reply from the Centre as well as the CBI.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi noted that the forgery of judicial orders with fake signatures of the judges "strikes at the very foundation of the public trust in the judicial system", apart from the rule of law.

What did the bench say?

Add Zee Business as a Preferred Source

"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 observed.

The bench also sought the assistance of the Attorney General of India in the matter titled 'In Re: Victims of Digital Arrest Related to Forged Documents'.

Scammers forged SC's order

The court took suo motu cognisance of a complaint made to the top court by an elderly couple who had been cheated out of their life savings through a digital arrest scam last week.

The Ambala woman of 73 years accused scammers of creating false Supreme Court orders to put her under a virtual arrest and demand over Rs. 1 crore.

She alleged the fraudsters presented her with a fabricated order claiming to have been signed by the Supreme Court judge.

The apex court emphasised on the 'coordinated efforts between the central and state police' to unearth the full extent of the enterprise involved in the forging of judicial documents, extortion, robbery of innocent people, primarily the senior citizens.

The top court issued notice to the Union of India by way of notice through the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Director of the CBI, the Principal Secretary, Department of Home, and the SP Cyber Crime, Ambala. It also directed the Haryana government and the SP cyber crime, Ambala, to submit the status report of the investigation conducted so far.