This isn’t just a routine order; this is the Supreme Court clearing the deck for a massive, unprecedented national probe into cybercrime. The target: the notorious “digital arrest” scams that have been draining the life savings of people, often senior citizens, by impersonating CBI or police officers.
Also read:Expert 5 Tips to Manage Senior Blood Sugar: Fibre, Water, Sleep.
The Supreme Court has given the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a “free hand” and essentially made them the primary, national agency for these cases, demanding cooperation from every other institutional player.
Here are the critical takeaways from the order:
SC Unchains CBI: Sweeping Powers Granted for Digital Arrest Probe
This whole push started with the Court taking suo motu (on its own motion) notice of the scams, which often involve fraudsters fabricating court and CBI orders to extort money. Now, the crackdown is official.
Key Investigative Powers Granted to CBI
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Banker Complicity: The CBI has been given specific freedom to investigate the role of bankers under the Prevention of Corruption Act. This is huge. It means if a bank official knowingly facilitates the opening of mule accounts for these scams, the CBI can prosecute them as corrupt officials.
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Access and Freeze: The agency has been given open permission to access phone data and immediately freeze bank accounts linked to the proceeds of the crime.
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Pan-India Authority: To ensure the probe isn’t stopped at state borders, the Supreme Court directed states that typically don’t give “general consent” to the CBI to grant approval for investigations under the IT Act. The investigation is now unified country-wide.
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International Angle: The CBI has permission to seek Interpol assistance when the cases have a cross-border connection.
Mandatory Cooperation & Systemic Fixes
The Supreme Court didn’t just target the criminals; it targeted the systemic loopholes that enable them.
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RBI Called In: The Court issued a notice to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), making it a party to the case. They want the RBI to answer on when AI and machine learning will be implemented to automatically identify suspicious accounts and freeze criminal proceeds instantly.
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Telco & IT Intermediary Compliance:
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IT Intermediaries (WhatsApp, etc.) must fully cooperate and store mobile phone data for all phones named in cybercrime FIRs.
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Telecom Operators must cooperate and flag instances where multiple SIM cards are issued in the same name. The DoT has been asked to file a reply on how they will prevent this SIM card misuse.
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In short, the highest court has mandated a complete, coordinated government response—from banking regulation to telecom checks to police resources—to fight this sophisticated, nationwide fraud network.
Also read:Expert 5 Tips to Manage Senior Blood Sugar: Fibre, Water, Sleep.
