Thread by @LiveLawIndia

#SupremeCourt issues notice to all states in the suo moto case regarding digital arrest scams based on forged court orders.

Bench: Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi

Attorney General for India R Venkatramani appearing.

J Kant: there are more than one instance taken place in different parts. We are inclined to entrust the matter to CBI in respect of all the states because this is a kind of crime which is operating maybe Pan India or maybe even across the border also.

AGI: there are money laundering gangs located outside our territory. In many parts of Asia - Myanmar, Thailand etc.

J Kant: we will appreciated if the state takes stand that yes this matter should be investigated by a central agency.

The suo moto case was taken after a letter was written to SC by a senior citizen couple from Haryana who were victims of such a scam. livelaw.in/top-stories/ma…

Order: learned Counsel for the state of Haryana fairly states that he has no objection having regard to the magnitude and the nature of the crime, to entrust the investigation to a central agency.

Order: the two FIRs registered at the cyber crime branch Ambala are to be entrusted to The Central bureau of investigation for investigation.

Order: there are more FIRs registered in Ambala pertaining to similar/identical crimes. The state is granted one week's time to furnish the details of those FIRs.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta: I want to give some suggestions.

J Kant: today we are just issuing notice to all states so that all the FIRs in all the states can be entrusted to the CBI.

Mehta: that my delay the process before which we may need some directions. So if this matter can be kept..., I will seek some directions then

Mehta: This is offshore. there are three human pillars. Sometimes there will be some people who will say that we can get you employment in some other country. And they will go there and get the employment. Then they will say that we spent this much on you so now you have to help us by generating this much funds. Then they will take their passports and they will be human slaves

J Bagchi: This is an international issue. In Myanmar there was a crackdown on such cells.

Mehta: That is called a scam compound.

Mehta: CBI is already investigating some of the offences.

J Bagchi: seeing the volume of cases, we want to know whether CBI has the resources, human and technical, to deal with the all the cases if they are transferred.

J Kant: suppose they need some highly technical experts for cyber crime who are technocrats, who are not part of the police force they may suggest and we will see.

Mehta: CBI is taking assistance from the cyber crime division of the ministry of home affairs who are technically qualified experts

J Bagchi: we are talking about volume if Pan India cases are transferred to CBI. We have seen this in ponzi cases, when the cases were transferred to CBI the pressure to on CBI was so enormous that they had to come with an application to the supreme court to send down certain cases to the state administration also. So please see that.

Mehta: We will. Possibly coordinated investigation in the is the solution not exclusive.

Mehta: I will sit with the CBI director. And I seek certain directions.

J Kant: what are the directions you require and to whom those directions are required to be issue you have to point out. But today we are only issuing notice, not any directions

Mehta: please have it next week for some directions. For example if someone calls me from a courtroom using AI it can be a face or voice of some judge. If the investigating agency wants to trace where the call is from we cannot get that information. So the Court can require that this can be shared for investigative purposes

J Kant: okay so place that before us and we will pass those directions on whatever the impedements are