Supreme court orders CBI to probe nationwide digital‑arrest cases

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Expressing serious concern over the rapidly increasing number of digital arrest cases across the country, the Supreme Court has taken a major step. The court announced that the CBI will now investigate the Digital Arrest scam. This investigation will be conducted separately from any other scam and on a priority basis.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant directed the CBI to conduct a detailed investigation into the cases and also gave the agency full freedom to probe the role of bankers under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), especially in cases where bank accounts were opened to carry out the digital arrest scam.

The Supreme Court, taking suo motu cognizance of the digital arrests case, also made the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) a party. The court asked the RBI when artificial intelligence and machine learning would be implemented to identify such bank accounts and freeze the proceeds of crime. The bench stated that this technology could play a crucial role in curbing digital arrest gangs that defraud millions of people.

The court clearly stated that all authorities will provide full cooperation to the CBI under the IT Intermediary Rules 2021. States that have not yet granted approval to the CBI have also been directed to grant permission to investigate cases related to the IT Act 2021 so that the CBI can conduct large-scale operations across the country.

The Supreme Court stated that the CBI may seek Interpol's assistance if necessary. In light of the Digital Arrest scam, where multiple SIM cards were issued using fake or identical identities, the Supreme Court directed the Department of Telecommunications to submit a detailed proposal. The objective is to issue strict guidelines to telecom companies to prevent SIM card misuse and curb criminal activity.

The Supreme Court directed that all state governments immediately establish cybercrime centers. Any state experiencing any difficulties with this process should inform the Supreme Court directly. The Court also directed that, under the IT rules, state police securely preserve the data of all mobile phones and digital devices seized in cybercrime cases.

The Supreme Court has ordered all states and union territories to hand over every FIR registered under the IT Act 2021 to the CBI to facilitate a centralized and robust investigation. CJI Surya Kant noted that after the court took cognizance, a large number of victims, most of whom are senior citizens, came forward and were duped through various means, including threats, intimidation, and online arrests.