India CBI probe, issues sweeping directions to states, agencies

Supreme Court Directs CBI to Probe Pan-India Digital Arrest Scam

The Supreme Court has given the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) free rein to probe cases related to the emerging 'digital arrest' scam, a nationwide issue.

Key Directives:

• Investigation Scope: The CBI will have the authority to investigate the role of bankers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, specifically in cases where bank accounts are opened for digital arrest scams.
• State Consent: All states, including Opposition-ruled West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana, have been asked to grant the CBI necessary consent to conduct investigations.
• RBI Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been issued a notice, seeking an explanation on why artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies are not being used to promptly freeze bank accounts involved in cyber frauds.
• Intermediary Cooperation: Information Technology intermediaries have been instructed to provide complete details and full cooperation to the CBI in its investigation into digital arrest offences.
• Interpol Assistance: The CBI has been directed to take assistance from Interpol to track cyber criminals operating from offshore tax havens.
• Telecom Regulations: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been asked to ensure that telecom operators do not issue multiple SIM cards to a single user, thereby enabling misuse for cybercrimes.
• Cybercrime Coordination: All states and Union Territories have been directed to establish regional and state-level cybercrime coordination centres to effectively tackle online offences.
• Ministry Views: The Solicitor General has been instructed to ensure that the views of various Union ministries, including Home Affairs, Telecommunications, and Finance, are placed before the court to aid in framing steps against cybercrimes.
• Bank Account Freezing: The Supreme Court has clarified that States, UTs, and their police agencies, along with the CBI, are free to freeze bank accounts used in defrauding citizens.
• Collusion Investigation: The CBI has been instructed to investigate bank officials who may be acting in collusion with fraudsters to cheat the public.