Elderly woman killed, 16 injured after AC explosion triggers fire at Dehradun hospitalThe incident took place at Panacea Hospital near Rispana Bridge at around 9.35 am, and the deceased was identified as Veeravati Published on: May 21, 2026 7:38 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link A
Two US men plead guilty to helping Indian call centres scam elderly AmericansThe FBI said the two Americans also advised Indian call centres on how to avoid detection in tech fraud. Published on: May 21, 2026 7:26 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link Two American tech executives have
‘Please gather any personal items and head home’: Meta tells laid-off employees. Read full text of layoff emailMeta carried out a fresh round of layoffs on Wednesday, informing thousands of employees that their roles were being eliminated Published on: May 21
Love Horoscope Today for May 21, 2026: The love that emptied you may leave, and what fills you may stayLove Horoscope Today: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: May 21, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link Aries Love asks you to think bigger today
Dy CM dismisses buzz around ministers’ meetSpeculation about Karnataka's leadership surfaced as CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar interacted amid discussions on governance and succession. Published on: May 21, 2026 7:22 AM IST By HT Correspondent
SC warning puts spotlight on cracks in cyberlaws amid digital arrest scams
The debate over India's obsolete cyberlaws and inadequate institutional safeguards has been revived by the Supreme Court's recent harsh warning about the growing threat of digital arrests and scams where cybercriminals forge court orders and pose as judges or police officials.
The urgency is underlined by India's rapidly expanding digital footprint and soaring cybercrime that the legal framework is not equipped to deal with, experts said.
With over 86% of households now connected to the internet, the attack surface for cybercriminals has grown exponentially. Cybersecurity incidents in the country more than doubled in two years, from 1.03 million in 2022 to 2.27 million in 2024, with digital arrest scams forming an increasingly sophisticated category of this threat landscape.
The top court took suo motu cognisance of a case involving the digital arrest of a senior citizen couple in Haryana's Ambala, where fraudsters forged court and probe agency orders to extort Rs 1.05 crore. The court called the incident a “grave criminal offence” that “strikes at the foundation of public trust in the judicial system,” exposing the use of technology as a weapon to subvert justice.
Such scamsters use fake summons, forged digital signatures, and deep fake video calls where AI-generated avatars of judges or officers threaten victims with detention. They use deepfake technology, spoofed WhatsApp numbers, and mule bank accounts to create the illusion of legitimacy, and then vanish with the money.
“This is no longer about individual fraud,” said Ankit Sahni, partner at Ajay Sahni & Associates. “By calling digital impersonation of judges a ‘grave criminal act,' the court has reframed the issue as an assault on the justice system itself. These scams don't just cheat people, they corrode faith in judicial institutions.”
Experts said the legal framework hasn't kept pace with sophisticated digital deception. Both the Information Technology Act, 2000, which was last amended in 2008, and the recently introduced Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) continue to treat these offences through the lens of traditional cheating and forgery.
“Digital arrests don't fit neatly under current provisions,” said Pavan Duggal, a cyber law expert. “Convictions are rare, and deterrence is almost non-existent.”
Although Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act address impersonation, they fail to acknowledge the harm done to institutions when scamsters impersonate law enforcement and the judiciary.
Rohit Jain, managing partner at Singhania & Co, said the Supreme Court's intervention marks a crucial legal turning point.
“By recognising that these scams erode institutional trust, not just individual confidence, the court has reframed the problem. Existing provisions can stretch to cover impersonation and cheating, but they were never designed for AI-driven fraud or digital impersonation of state authorities. We now need a distinct legal category that treats such acts as offences against the state's legitimacy, not just private citizens,” he said.
Law enforcement agencies are also struggling to keep up.
A senior official from Delhi Police's cyber cell said cases involving forged judicial orders and fake police calls have spiked in recent months. “Fraudsters exploit citizens' fear of authority. By the time victims realise the scam, it becomes hard to track the criminals and the money has already moved through layers of mule accounts,” the officer said.
According to experts, a more robust legal deterrent and a foolproof digital verification system approach are required. Judicial documents embedded with blockchain or QR codes, verifiable through official court websites, could enable citizens to quickly verify authenticity.
Duggal said banks must share responsibility, since most of these crimes involve money transfers through regulated channels. “If the RBI mandates that banks refund victims in confirmed digital-arrest cases, it will restore public faith. Right now, banks contest even zero-liability claims,” he said.
While awareness campaigns like Cyber Dost and certain helpline numbers have raised awareness, they are still reactive in nature rather than systemic, experts said.
The SC's action should be the first step towards a more comprehensive reform, they said. Such reform must require authentication for all official digital communications and treat digital impersonation as a crime against institutional trust.
In the age of deepfakes and AI, “even trust can now be counterfeited,” Sahni noted.
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: India needs dedicated AI law as current legal framework inadequate to tackle emerging risks Supreme Court warns states about inadequate measures to control stray dogs Congress alleges Modi government’s GST reforms are inadequate TikTok child data protection inadequate Apple added several devices to its ‘vintage and obsolete’ list AI agents to reshape SaaS without making them obsolete Lok Sabha passes bill to repeal 71 ‘obsolete’ laws Is France Making Indian Rafale Jets Obsolete Against Pakistan Bengaluru stampede sparks ‘Kumbh vs Chinnaswamy’ debate over crowd chaos Japan snap election sparks debate over PM Takaichi's dissolution powers
Taiwan’s de facto diplomatic mission in India on Wednesday condemned the recent “publications/comments made by certain individuals”, referring to an election billboard put up by a Taiwanese ward chief that had alleged anti-India messaging. The billboard featured a “no” symbol over an
6 hours ago
Keywords: RBI approved personal loan apps, best loan app RBI registered, online loan app RBI registered, trusted loan app in India, personal loan app Transforming the entire borrowing experience, personal loan apps have come a long way. Users have switched from the traditional banking systems and
5 hours ago
Free scooty scheme: Yogi asks officials to fix eligibility criteria, come better prepared next timeUttar Pradesh finance minister Suresh Khanna announced the Rani Laxmi Bai scooty scheme in the state budget for 2025-26. A year later, in February 2026
5 hours ago
As AI adoption accelerates, organisations are increasingly turning to builders, developers, and innovation communities for breakthrough ideas. Hackathons are emerging as powerful ecosystems for discovering talent, testing new technologies, and shaping future-ready solutions collaboratively
5 hours ago
The income tax department has released both offline and online utilities for ITR-1 and ITR-4 forms, allowing taxpayers to begin filing ITR for the assessment year 2026-27 (FY26). ITR Filing Last Date FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27): The income tax department has released both offline and online utilities
5 hours ago
The rupee touches record low of 96.90 against the US dollar in early trade, marking a depreciation of 7.8% since the beginning of this year and 13.33% compared to May 20 last year. The Indian rupee has come under intense pressure in 2026, sliding to a fresh all-time low against the US dollar amid
5 hours ago
Parveena Khatun, 45, runs a tea stall on Baba Gangnath Marg in Delhi’s Munirka. The shortage of cooking gas cylinders has affected Parveena’s income. When supplies fell in March, she kept her stall closed for a week but without the income, survival became difficult. Then
5 hours ago
French Open 2026 draw guide: Schedule, seeds, wildcards, confirmed players and live streaming detailsFrench Open 2026: Here is all you need to know after the French Open 2026 draw - schedule, live streaming details and full player-entry list. Updated on: May 21
6 hours ago
Chinese President Xi Jinping might visit North Korea next week. This visit could see him mediating between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. China and North Korea are strengthening ties. Trump has previously met Kim multiple times to discuss North Korea's nuclear
6 hours ago
The largest union at Samsung Electronics has suspended a planned strike after reaching a last-minute tentative pay agreement with the South Korean technology giant. It has temporarily eased fears of disruption at the world's largest memory chipmaker during a boom in the building of artificial
6 hours ago
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, in its annual report, said that nearly 70% of students who took part in the 2024–25 campus placement process received job offers through recruitment drives. This is reportedly lower than the previous year’s placement rate of 75%. However
6 hours ago
Southampton's appeal against being thrown out of the Championship play-off final for spying has been rejected. The match will now go ahead on Saturday between Hull City and Middlesbrough (15:30 BST kick-off), with a place in the Premier League on the line
5 hours ago
From Smart Planning to 99.6% score: Kanpur’s Sonakshi Goyal shares her CBSE class 12 success story and study tipsWhile speaking to HT Digital about her preparation journey, Sonakshi revealed her timetable, daily routine, subjects she loved and hated and her future plans. Published on: May 20
6 hours ago
The Indian rupee slumped to a record low of 96.9 against the United States dollar on Wednesday amid elevated global oil prices and economic headwinds caused by the conflict in West Asia. The value of the rupee had improved marginally to 96.8 against the dollar by the time the trade session ended
6 hours ago
For a moment you could have mistaken Beijing for Moscow. As Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping walked the red carpet towards the Great Hall of the People, a Chinese military band played the romantic Russian classic Moscow Nights. "If only you knew how these Moscow Nights are dear to me
5 hours ago
Three-and-a-half years ago he walked into Villa Park and vowed he had joined Aston Villa to win trophies. Skipper John McGinn lifted the Europa League after a 3-0 victory over Freiburg to etch Villa's name into the history books again. In front of nine of the 1982 European Cup heroes - including
5 hours ago
The BJP strongly criticised Rahul Gandhi over his remarks against the Prime Minister. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign visits, this time attacking the viral “Melody” moment involving Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
5 hours ago
![New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): India needs a dedicated law on artificial intelligence as existing legal frameworks are not adequate to deal with the risks](http://newsorbit360.com/files/news/en/imgs/india-needs-dedicated-ai-law-as-current-legal-framework-inadequate-to.webp?height=520)
New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): India needs a dedicated law on artificial intelligence as existing legal frameworks are not adequate to deal with the risks emerging from AI, cyber law and artificial intelligence law expert Pavan Duggal said on the sidelines of FICCI's CyberComm event in the
5 hours ago
Indian Railways has taken a significant step toward further strengthening train safety. The Railways have successfully completed the commissioning of the KAVACH 4.0 system on the Delhi-Palwal route. This advanced safety system has been operationalized within the New Delhi (Ex) Junction Cabin
5 hours ago
Russia joined other UN Security Council members on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) to condemn the drone strike on the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant, which Abu Dhabi said originated from Iraq where pro-Iranian proxies are active. The unclaimed drone struck an electrical generator on Sunday (May 17
1 days ago
Vice President J.D. Vance reassured Americans on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) that President Donald Trump's war with Iran will not become a "forever war," using a White House briefing to defend his boss's policies as speculation about his potential successor builds.Vice President J.D
1 days ago
Rohtak-born Tushar is UK’s youngest Indian-origin mayorTushar Kumar, a 23-yr-old Labour Party member took charge as mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood town in eastern UK. Updated on: May 20, 2026 2:39 PM IST By Neeraj Mohan Share via Copy link Rohtak-born Tushar Kumar has become the youngest-ever
1 days ago
Frequent burning sensation after meals? Harvard gastroenterologist shares foods to avoid and eat for heartburn reliefHeartburn after coffee, spicy food or late-night snacks? Dr Saurabh Sethi shares foods that may worsen acid reflux and what may help soothe it. Published on: May 20
1 days ago
Matchmaker shares the one male insecurity that can outweigh even an IIM degree in biodata: 'If a boy doesn't have…'Hair over Harvard? Matchmaker shares real story of a common male insecurity in arranged marriage market that leads to biodata rejection. Updated on: May 20
1 days ago
Assam govt aims 20% cut in fuel cost, 10% down in revenue expense as part of austerity measuresAssam govt aims 20% cut in fuel cost, 10% down in revenue expense as part of austerity measures Published on: May 20, 2026 2:38 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Guwahati
1 days ago
Indian man in Europe says people value life after 5 pm over promotions: ‘Nobody glorifies working late’An Indian man said Europe’s biggest work culture shock was seeing people value life after work more than staying busy. Published on: May 20
1 days ago
stuck to their holdings in companies with strong fundamentals in April, particularly technology and , according to a report on Wednesday from data platform Hazeltree, in a month when the S&P 500 jumped over 10%.Here are the details about hedge fund positioning in April:Among mega-cap
1 days ago
