New Delhi, Oct 17: The Supreme Court on Friday took serious note of the digital arrest of a senior citizen couple in Haryana’s Ambala, where fraudsters allegedly used forged judicial and agency orders to extort ₹1.05 crore. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, registered the matter suo motu after a 73-year-old woman wrote to Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, highlighting how cyber criminals impersonated officials of central probe agencies and fabricated court documents to intimidate her family.
During the hearing, the court expressed grave concern over the increasing incidents of digital arrest scams being reported across India. It observed that the forging of Supreme Court and High Court orders, including signatures of judges, to arrest or extort innocent citizens—particularly senior citizens—undermines the very foundation of faith and trust in the judiciary. “The fabrication of judicial orders bearing forged signatures of judges strikes at the core of public trust in the judicial system and the rule of law. Such acts amount to a direct assault on the dignity of the institution,” the bench remarked.
The court added that such crimes cannot be viewed merely as instances of cheating or cyber fraud but as serious offences warranting urgent national attention. It noted that several similar cases have surfaced across different states, revealing a disturbing trend of criminals exploiting the authority of courts and investigative agencies to extort money from citizens. “We are, therefore, of the view that coordinated action between central and state police is essential to unearth the full extent of this criminal enterprise involving the forgery of judicial documents and extortion of innocent people,” the order stated.
The bench sought assistance from the Attorney General of India and directed the Haryana government and Ambala Cyber Crime Department to file a detailed status report on the progress of the investigation. It emphasized the need for swift and coordinated efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible.
According to the complaint, the scamsters produced forged court orders bearing official stamps and seals authorizing the arrest and surveillance of the couple between September 3 and 16. The orders were shown through multiple audio and video calls by individuals posing as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The couple, fearing arrest, were allegedly coerced into transferring over ₹1 crore through several bank transactions.
The top court was informed that two separate FIRs have been registered by the Ambala Cyber Crime Department under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The bench said it would monitor the investigation to ensure accountability and prevent recurrence of such incidents that endanger citizens and erode public confidence in the judiciary. (Agencies)
