Cyber fraudsters are parasites, must be dealt with sternly, says Supreme Court

Supreme Court rejects bail plea of cyber fraud accused, calls cyber criminals “parasites” and says society is safer when such offenders remain in jail.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday described cyber fraudsters as “parasites” and said those who cheat innocent citizens must be dealt with sternly, observing that society’s interests are best served when such offenders remain behind bars, as it refused to entertain a plea by an alleged cyber fraud accused seeking the clubbing of multiple cases and bail.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday described cyber fraudsters as “parasites” and said those who cheat innocent citizens must be dealt with sternly.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana said, “You people are parasites,” as it dealt with a petition filed by one Manoj Kumar Singh, who is facing multiple cases of cyber fraud in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir.

“You people take money from investors and dupe them. We have to be very harsh on you. Society’s interest is there only when you are inside jail and not outside,” the bench said.

The court noted the unique modus operandi followed by such accused persons, who operate in one area and then continuously shift base to evade arrest. “You are hardened criminals whose victims are spread pan-India. You cheat someone in Tamil Nadu and then go to Jammu,” court said.

Incidentally, the bench headed by CJI Kant had taken suo motu cognisance of digital arrest fraud cases and adopted a tough stance against cyber fraudsters who dupe gullible citizens, particularly senior citizens, of their hard-earned savings by posing as law enforcement officers and flashing court orders.

In these proceedings, following the court’s intervention, states and Union Territories referred major cases of digital arrest fraud to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to facilitate investigation into the inter-country and inter-continent links of such organised gangs. The matter is still pending before the top court, which is seeking to evolve effective preventive measures involving banks, telecom service providers and social media platforms to warn citizens about such frauds and enable the recovery of money lost in the process.

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