'List Measures To Stop Digital Arrests, Cybercrimes': Top Court To WhatsApp
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, had told the bench the platform had taken preventive measures, including action against 9,400 accounts, and would file an affidavit detailing the steps undertaken.
The Supreme Court has directed WhatsApp and other digital intermediaries to disclose their plans to curb digital arrest scams, wherein fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant requested WhatsApp, owned by Meta, to outline its preventive measures and submit them to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) concurrently.
The issue will be revisited on November 23, 2026. This order emerged from a suo motu case involving victims of digital arrest scams linked to forged documents. The bench, comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, mandated WhatsApp LLC and other intermediaries to inform the court of their proposed steps and file these proposals with the I4C simultaneously.
As of now, WhatsApp has reportedly banned approximately 9,400 accounts associated with digital arrest scams and law enforcement impersonation, a move initiated in January 2026. The court has also criticized WhatsApp's response, with the IT ministry noting that Microsoft acted swiftly on intelligence from I4C, while WhatsApp failed to take adequate remedial action.
The court has extended its demands to banks, requesting them to implement a standard procedure for temporary debit holds on accounts linked to cyber fraud, along with a grievance mechanism and a money-restoration module.
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