New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court expressed its astonishment over the nearly Rs 3,000 crore lost by victims nationwide due to the digital arrests scam. During a suo motu hearing aimed at addressing the rise in online scams and impersonation schemes, the Bench, led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, deemed the situation alarming and underscored the necessity for immediate and rigorous judicial action. “It is shocking that victims in our country have lost almost Rs 3,000 crores. If we disregard this issue now and do not implement strict measures, it will only worsen. We are committed to tackling it decisively,” Justice Kant remarked after reviewing the sealed reports from investigative bodies.
The court learned that these scams frequently involve cybercriminals masquerading as law enforcement officials, pressuring victims, particularly the elderly, to transfer substantial amounts of money under false pretenses related to criminal allegations or inquiries. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Union Government, noted the societal impact of these crimes, emphasizing that the victims are often elderly, which is particularly distressing. Justice Kant reiterated that the Court would not hesitate to issue stringent orders if required, cautioning that unchecked digital fraud could undermine public trust in digital governance and law enforcement. Previously, the Court had taken suo motu notice of the issue following a letter from a senior citizen couple in Haryana who fell prey to one such cyber scam.