Supreme Court: Digital arrest scams are 'worst kind of crime'; no bail unless extraordinary grounds exist

Published 28 July 2026 · india

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will not grant bail to those accused in digital arrest scam cases unless they establish “extraordinary grounds” warranting

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will not grant bail to those accused in digital arrest scam cases unless they establish “extraordinary grounds” warranting their release. The apex court called such frauds the "worst kind of crime" against people, especially senior citizens, reported TOI. A bench comprising Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana made the observation while rejecting the bail plea of an accused in a digital fraud case. The accused had argued that he had merely helped the main suspect open a bank account and had remained in custody for more than a year.

The bench, however, held that he was an accomplice in the crime and said, "In cases related to digital arrest, we will not grant bail unless extraordinary grounds exist," reported TOI. ‘Worst kind of crime’ In a message to all HCs and trial courts, the bench said digital arrest scams were among the most serious offences affecting the public. “Digital arrest scams are the worst kind of crime against people, especially against senior citizens whose life savings and hard-earned money are fraudulently siphoned out when they need it the most,” the bench said, according to the TOI report.

Also Read | SC bans posting of recordings of Court proceedings without permission Last Friday, the same bench said the police and other investigating agencies must invoke strict anti-organized crime law provisions against those found in connection with digital arrest or cyber fraud cases, saying they should be equated with “robbery and dacoity,” according to the TOI report. SC steps up crackdown The Supreme Court has been closely monitoring the rise in digital arrest scams, particularly those targeting senior citizens. Last year, the Supreme Court took particular notice of digital cases targeting senior citizens.

It tasked the CBI with probing cases across India and was instrumental in establishing a cross-departmental coordination mechanism among various agencies to address the issue. People have been cheated of over ₹3,000 crore, according to the probing agencies, reported TOI. Also Read | Is protesting legal in India? What the Constitution and Supreme Court say

Read full story on TheBriefWire