Supreme Court Mandates Nationwide SOP Adoption to Combat Cyber Frauds

The Supreme Court has issued a directive to the Ministry of Home Affairs, mandating the nationwide adoption and implementation of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on combating cyber-enabled frauds, dated January 2, 2026.

During a hearing on digital arrest scams, the Court highlighted that banking officials have been complicit in fraudulent transactions. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi emphasized the need for banks to maintain strict accountability standards when dealing with these fraud cases.

The Court has instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to identify digital arrest cases and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to ensure timely compliance. It also acknowledged the creation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and SOP, urging their immediate implementation to enhance inter-agency cooperation and fraud prevention efforts.