A petition submitted to the Supreme Court seeking the formation of an expert committee to explore effective methods for controlling cyber frauds. The plea highlights the growing menace of online financial crimes and urges the need for a comprehensive strategy to tackle this issue. It calls for the involvement of experts from various fields to examine the loopholes in current systems and suggest preventive measures.
New Delhi: A petition submitted to the Supreme Court requesting the formation of an expert committee, to be overseen by a sitting or retired judge of the apex court, to explore various ways to tackle cyber fraud.
The petition, filed by advocate Pradeep Kumar Yadav, highlighted several incidents where even judges have fallen victim to cybercrimes.
One such instance mentioned was from 2019, when former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha was defrauded of Rs 1 lakh after receiving emails from another retired Supreme Court judge’s account, requesting “emergency funds.”
Another cited incident involved a scammer impersonating Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who claimed to be stuck at Connaught Place before an important Collegium meeting, asking for Rs 500 with a promise to return it.
Additionally, the petition referenced a recent case where a cybercrime gang, posing as CBI officers, created a fake virtual courtroom and documents resembling official ones, and one individual impersonated CJI Chandrachud, leading to businessman SP Oswal of the Vardhman Group being defrauded of Rs 7 crore.
The petition further noted that in 2023, Ramesh Devkinandan Dhanuka, a retired Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, filed an FIR with the Colaba police after an unidentified individual sent him a message asking to update his PAN card details.
When Dhanuka followed the link and submitted the information, Rs 49,998 was siphoned from his bank account. Another case in 2023 involved the misuse of Karnataka High Court judge Justice G Narendra’s identity for cyber fraud. The petitioner also shared his near-experience with cyber fraud, stating that he received calls from various numbers and fraudsters sent him OTPs, leading him to file a criminal complaint at the Tilak Marg police station on August 16, 2024.
The petition emphasized the urgent need for a robust mechanism to address the rising cybercrime in India.
It stated,
“In today’s interconnected digital landscape, the prevalence of cybercrime has reached unprecedented levels, posing significant threats to individuals, businesses, and nations alike. As technology advances, so do the tactics employed by cybercriminals, ranging from sophisticated hacking and ransomware attacks to identity theft and online fraud.”
Citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the plea highlighted the sharp increase in cybercrime cases, with incidents rising from 21,796 in 2017 to 27,248 in 2018. The petition called for strengthening the existing Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, suggesting an expansion in the definitions of cybercrimes and enhancements to the cybersecurity legal framework. It proposed that intermediaries should be held accountable for the content and data hosted on their platforms, compelling them to adopt stringent data protection measures.
The petition has made the central government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) parties to the case.