DIGITAL ARREST SCAM
- The Supreme Court of India has shown serious concern over digital arrest scams, a type of cyber fraud.
- The Court has asked the central government to decide whether India should ratify (officially approve) the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, which is a global agreement for fighting cybercrime.
- The Court said that cybercrimes are international in nature, and without global cooperation, it is difficult to catch the criminals and trace the money.
WHAT IS A DIGITAL ARREST SCAM?
- A digital arrest scam is a cyber fraud where criminals pretend to be police, CBI, ED, or court officials.
- They scare the victim by saying:
- “Your bank account is involved in money laundering.”
- “There is a case against you.”
- “You are under a digital (online) arrest.”
- They use fake legal orders, video calls, or spoofed numbers to make it look real. They keep the victim on video call, act like they are investigating, and then force them to transfer money to “safe accounts”.
- Targets: Mostly senior citizens and professionals.
WHY DID THE SC INTERVENE?
- Many such frauds are happening across the country.
- In one case, a 72-year-old lawyer lost ₹3.29 crore.
- In another, a senior couple in Haryana lost ₹1.05 crore.
The Court took suo motu action (action taken on its own) because these scams are increasing rapidly and are hard to tackle.
SC’S SPECIAL ORDER
- In the ₹3.29 crore fraud case, the Court passed a rare and strong order:
- The accused should not be granted bail until the investigation is fully completed.
- Normally, after 90 days, accused can get bail if chargesheet is not filed. But in this case, the Court stopped that.
- The judges said this matter is unusual and may need unusual orders.
PROPOSAL TO TRANSFER CASES TO CBI
- The Supreme Court said that all digital arrest cases from different states may be transferred to the CBI.
It asked states to submit details of all such cases.
- The Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Association also asked to join the case to help the court.
WHAT IS UN CONVENTION AGAINST CYBER CRIME?
- It is the world’s first global treaty against cybercrime.
- Adopted by the United Nations in December 2024.
- Aim: To help all countries work together to prevent, detect, and punish cybercrimes.
KEY POINTS OF THE TREATY
India has not yet ratified this treaty. The Supreme Court is urging the government to consider it.
WHY IS RATIFYING THE TREATY IMPORTANT?
- Cyber Fraud involves international networks.
- Money moves to foreign accounts.
- Criminals use foreign mobile numbers, servers, and websites.
- Without global coordination, it is hard to catch criminals or trace money trails.
Ratifying the treaty will help India:
- Get quicker help from foreign agencies
- Track international cyber criminals
- Collect digital evidence from other countries
CONCLUSION
The Supreme Court is deeply concerned about the rise in digital arrest scams. It wants stronger action, better investigation, and global cooperation. That is why it is asking the government to consider ratifying the UN cybercrime treaty and has passed strong orders to prevent accused persons from escaping the law.
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