Editorial: Supreme Court’s timely intervention to curb cybercrime

India’s apex court’s decision to entrust the CBI with a nationwide probe into digital arrest scams should help in speeding up efforts to check this dangerous trend

Cyber criminals spare none. From celebrities, industrialists and politicians to retired professionals and homemakers, every section has become vulnerable to scams being perpetrated by online fraudsters using sophisticated technology tools. India now ranks among the largest victims and perpetrators of cyber frauds worldwide. Among various forms of cybercrime, ‘digital arrest’ has emerged as the most devious one. It poses a threat not only to the country’s financial security and stability but also to public trust in the law enforcement machinery. The Supreme Court’s decision to entrust the CBI with a nationwide probe into digital arrest scams comes as a timely intervention. It should, hopefully, help in speeding up efforts to check this dangerous trend. Digital arrest involves fraudsters impersonating as law enforcement officers or judges and intimidating people into paying large sums of money. The modus operandi here is dangerously simple: Fraudsters pretending to be police and customs officials make calls from locations resembling government offices or police stations. They contact their victims, informing them that they are under investigation on grounds such as the seizure of their postal consignments carrying drugs. They are told to cough up money or face legal consequences, including arrest. Driven by panic, the gullible ones end up making the payment. The scammers force victims to stay on the call until they comply. Thousands of people have fallen victim to such scammers though there is nothing called digital arrest in law.

All States have been directed by the apex court to give consent to the CBI to probe offences within their jurisdiction. The SC has acknowledged the reality that cybercrimes know no State boundaries. In fact, fragmented investigations only embolden cross-border criminal networks. The court took suo motu cognisance of the widespread menace after an aged couple from Haryana was defrauded of Rs 1 crore. Forged Supreme Court orders were used to threaten them — a chilling reminder that these crimes can imperil faith in public institutions. Most victims prefer to stay silent because of a sense of shame associated with such experiences. Among common tactics employed are accusing the victim of illicit activity that has been carried out using the individual’s Aadhaar number. The cybersecurity agencies must remain ahead of the curve rather than playing catch-up. According to one estimate, people in India are losing nearly Rs 1.5 lakh to cyber criminals every minute. The growing sophistication of technologies makes cyber criminals try out new methods to defraud people. The apex court has granted a free hand to the CBI to file FIRs in cases of digital arrest and freeze bank accounts linked to fraud. The premier investigating agency has also been empowered to probe the alleged complicity of bank officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act. There is a dire need for people to be vigilant — especially the elderly, who are not very tech-savvy.

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