On February 9, 2026, the Supreme Court slammed digital frauds that have siphoned over ₹54,000 crore, calling it absolute "robbery or dacoity." A Bench with Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria said the stolen amount exceeds the budgets of many small states. The Court pointed out that such crimes may happen due to either bank officials' collusion or carelessness. It stressed the need for timely steps from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks. The Court directed the Centre to draft a standard operating procedure (SOP) in consultation with the RBI, banks, and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) within four weeks. This SOP will help deal with digital fraud cases effectively. The RBI currently has an SOP to temporarily block debit cards to stop cyber fraud. The Supreme Court also ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to identify digital arrest cases. It asked Gujarat and Delhi governments to permit the CBI to investigate these cases. The Court further asked the RBI, DoT, and others to meet and design a framework to provide compensation to victims of digital arrests. Describing the need for a "pragmatic and liberal approach," the Court posted the case for a further hearing after four weeks. It also asked officials to file fresh status reports before that. Digital arrest is a growing cybercrime where fraudsters pretend to be law enforcement or government agents. They scare victims by calls and force them to pay money. Earlier, on December 1, 2025, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to lead a unified nationwide probe. It questioned why the RBI is not using artificial intelligence to track and freeze criminal bank accounts. The Court also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider RBI and DoT SOPs and draft a memorandum of understanding to fight these crimes unitedly.