The Supreme Court on Monday said it may hand over investigations into the growing “digital arrest” scams to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing possible links to Thailand and Myanmar.
These scams involve fraudsters posing as police or government officials to extort money from victims through fake arrest threats.
The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said a “uniform investigation” is needed since the crimes often cross state and national borders.
The court directed the CBI to draft a nationwide plan and assess if it needs more cyber experts. It also handed the agency one case — an Ambala couple held under “digital arrest” for 16 days and defrauded of ₹1.5 crore through fake Supreme Court documents shared over WhatsApp.
The bench criticised the lack of assistance for victims and sought data on such scams from all states and union territories before the next hearing on November 3.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta confirmed that scam networks operate from “compounds” in Thailand and Myanmar and said the issue is “larger than anticipated.” The court acknowledged that coordination with Interpol and foreign police might be required, noting that international frameworks already exist for cybercrime cooperation.