Institute of Legal and Management Studies

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of rising cases of “digital arrest” scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities to extort money from citizens, particularly senior citizens.

The action follows a complaint from a 73-year-old woman from Ambala, Haryana, who alleged that scammers used forged Supreme Court orders to confine her in a so-called “digital arrest” and extort more than ₹1 crore.

In her complaint addressed to Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai, the woman claimed that the fraudsters produced a fake order purportedly issued by former Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

The Supreme Court decided to initiate a suo motu proceeding titled “In Re: Victims of Digital Arrest Related to Forged Documents”

Today, a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the "forgery of documents and the criminal misuse of the name, seal and judicial authority of this court or High Court is a matter of grave concern."

"The fabrication of judicial orders bearing forged signatures of the judges strikes at the very foundation of the public trust in the judicial system besides the rule of law. Such action constituted direct assault on the dignity of the institution. Such grave criminal act cannot be treated as an ordinary or routine offence of cheating or cyber crime," the bench observed taking judicial notice of various reports about such crimes happening in different parts of the country.

The bench observed that coordinated efforts between the central and state police are required to unearth the full extent of the enterprise involving forging judicial documents, extortion/robbery of innocent people, most importantly, the senior citizens.

The Court issued notice to Union of India through the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the CBI through its Director, Principal Secretary Department of Home, SP Cyber Crime at Ambala.

The Court also sought the assistance of the Attorney General for India.

Case no. – SMW (Crl.) 3/2025

Case title – In Re: Victims of Digital Arrest Related to Forged Documents