Digital Arrest Fraud: 21,900 Complaints, Rs 647 Crore in 2026

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that more than 21,900 digital arrest complaints involving over Rs 647 crore were registered between 1 January and 31 August 2026. The figures are in a status report dated 7 October, filed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Ministry of Home Affairs in the court’s suo motu case on the scam, and reported on 23 October. The court will hear the matter next on 29 October.

Fewer Complaints, Same Calls From “Officials”

In a digital arrest scam, callers pose as police, customs or other officials, tell the target they are under investigation and keep them on a video or audio call while they extort money. The status report shows complaints falling year on year: 1,23,672 in 2024 (Rs 1,935 crore), about 58,000 in 2025 (Rs 1,211 crore) and 21,900 in the first eight months of 2026.

The report also says the Grievance Redressal Portal has received 93,041 grievances, of which law enforcement acted on 60,638. On the Money Restoration Portal, 4.69 lakh orders have been issued covering Rs 332.7 crore, and banks have returned Rs 112.96 crore so far, according to Free Press Journal’s reading of the report.

CBI Arrests and the Call-Time Cap

The report says the CBI has made more than 49 arrests and filed charge sheets against over 140 people since 1 December 2025. Major telecom operators now cap calls at 180 minutes, and the share of complaints registered as e-Zero FIRs has risen from 2% to 8% across states and Union territories.

An earlier status report, covered in August, said the e-Zero FIR system was running in 19 states and that 14 states had notified State Cyber Crime Coordination Centres. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant then told the RBI to issue a standard procedure within four weeks for temporary debit holds on mule-linked accounts, and told states yet to set up these centres to do so. The court had passed earlier orders in the case on 10 December 2025 and 9 February 2026. See also IPB’s Daily Updates.

Next Hearing on 29 October

The Supreme Court takes up the case again on 29 October. Whether the remaining states have set up their cyber crime centres, and whether the RBI has circulated its debit-hold procedure, are not covered in the October status report as reported.

Source: Based on reporting by Free Press Journal and ThePrint.

Image: Representational image / Free Press Journal.