Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana of the Supreme court  recently refused to entertain a writ petition filed by an alleged cybercriminal accused of laundering investments. While dismissing the petition, the Bench stressed the need for strict action against cybercriminals and made strong observations.

‘You All Are Parasites’

The Bench observed:

“You all are parasites. You take money from investors and dupe them. We have to be harsh on cyber criminals. Society's interest is only that you are behind bars. Such crimes are always pan-India. Take money from someone in Gujarat, then Mumbai, and so on." 

The Court ultimately held that no case was made out for admitting the writ petition. It dismissed the petition and advised the petitioner to seek relief before the High Court.

Earlier Tough Stand:

These remarks are in line with the Court’s recent tough approach towards cybercrime. In November last year, the same Bench passed an unusual order directing that no court should grant bail to a group accused of cheating a 72-year-old advocate of ₹3.29 crore in a digital arrest scam.

Digital Arrest Scam Case:

The Supreme Court’s action is part of its wider effort to tackle the increasing number of digital extortion scams. In October 2025, the Court started suo motu proceedings after receiving a complaint from a 73-year-old woman in Ambala. She alleged that fraudsters used fake Supreme Court orders to place her under a false digital arrest and extort more than ₹1 crore from her.

CBI Probe Ordered:

In December 2025, a Bench led by CJI Surya Kant directed the CBI to conduct a pan-India investigation into digital arrest scams. These scams are a fast-growing form of cyber extortion in which fraudsters pretend to be police, law enforcement officers, or judicial officials and pressure victims into transferring money. The Court also directed Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Haryana to give their consent for CBI investigations so that the probe could continue smoothly across states without legal hurdles.

Case details:MANOJ KUMAR SINGH v. STATE OF BIHAR & ORS. | W.P. (Criminal) No. 213/2026