THE Supreme Court’s suggestion to formally define digital arrest in criminal laws and declare it a standalone offence with harsher punishments merits serious consideration. There has been a sharp rise in cyber scams in which fraudsters impersonate police and investigating agencies’ officers, court officials or government personnel through video and audio calls to intimidate victims into transferring money. Many elderly victims have lost their life savings, and it was one such couple from Ambala whose letter led to the court taking suo motu cognisance last year. According to data tabled in Parliament, Indians lost Rs 22,845 crore to cyber fraud of all kinds in 2024. A whopping 22 lakh cybercrime incidents were reported. A more robust legal framework will add to the multi-pronged efforts being put in place to tackle the menace.
Cyber threats are no longer episodic; they are a continuous reality. Enabled by artificial intelligence and automation, cybercriminals are now resorting to sophisticated fraud schemes and account takeovers. The risks persist at all times. It’s an uphill battle that requires strong preventive and reactive strategies. Any systemic gap is easily exploited, and new forms of cybercrime emerge overnight. Financial operations cannot do without real-time fraud detection and proactive response mechanisms. After Nuh and Gurugram, the Jamtara module of highly organised cyber fraudsters — many with little or no formal education — is now seeing offshoots in Mathura’s villages as they target unsuspecting citizens across India. Over 300 suspects have been arrested over the past year. The network is brazenly widening.
Large-scale crackdowns have failed to instil a sense of fear. Clearly, a more effective counter-strategy, that includes stricter punishment, is imperative. Cyber risks are inescapable in a data-centric world. Dealing with fraudsters ultimately requires mass awareness, precise technology-backed institutional support and a collective resolve.
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