SC may restrain courts from granting bail in digital arrest cases: Delhi petitioner seeks clubbing of cases
· India · Times of India, Hindustan Times
A Supreme Court bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said it may restrain courts from granting bail to those arrested for putting senior citizens under digital arrest, calling such crimes "dacoity to say the least." The court noted one of the first victims was an 81-year resident of Ernakulam from whom criminals allegedly extorted 1.9 crore. The bench questioned why victims must travel across states to depose, suggesting investigations should be conducted by the police of the state where the persons were defrauded. When the counsel pleaded the petitioner had filed a complaint after learning her account was used as a mule account, the bench warned it would not allow "foot soldiers of the crime syndicate to derail investigations." The petitioner later withdrew her petition as the bench said the balance of convenience must tilt towards victims of cyber fraud and digital arrest.
Why it matters
Senior citizens who fall prey to digital arrest face the additional trauma of being denied bail and forced to travel across states to depose as complainants, while the court warned that lower-level mule accounts risk derailing broader investigations into cyber fraud syndicates.
Read the original report — Times of India
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