Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant on Saturday expressed concern over the rapidly increasing cybercrime in the country, stating that crime in the digital world has now become organized and international.
Addressing the 3-day national conference on “Cyber Safety: Awareness, Protection, And Inclusive Access To Justice” organised by the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority, the CJI shared his own experience of the misuse of his name in creating fake websites to mislead people.
“Almost every other day a new website is created in my name. Some of my well-wishers send me messages on my mobile phone informing me that a new site has been created in my name.” He explained that recently, some of his photographs, available in the public domain, were used on these websites and presented as if they were official.
He reported that recently, fake websites were created using his photographs, which were available in the public domain, and various types of messages were sent from those sites.
The most worrying development came when messages were sent from one such fake site to his sister and a lawyer who resembles his daughter. Fortunately, the language of the messages was inappropriate, which led him to inform the Cyber Crime Branch.
The investigation revealed that these websites were being operated from Nigeria. The CJI said cybercrime knows no boundaries.
CJI Surya Kant described digital arrest as a new form of extortion and robbery. He explained that he had received a complaint from an elderly couple whose life savings were robbed in a minute through fraud. He took suo motu cognizance of the matter and is still monitoring it.
“I have no hesitation in saying that I have passed several strict orders in this matter. The judiciary will take every possible step to eradicate this problem.”
Referring to the rising cyber crime figures across the country, he said that approximately Rs 55,000 crore have been defrauded from ordinary citizens. “I used the word ‘loot’ in the last hearing as well. This is clearly extortion and robbery. Money is being looted in this manner,” he reiterated.
The CJI thanked Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for announcing the opening of a special cyber court in Rajasthan, saying that this initiative would prove to be an important step in the fight against cyber crime.
CM Sharma, Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari, Premchand Bairwa, Law Minister Jogaram Patel, Supreme Court and Rajasthan High Court judges, judicial officers, police and administrative officials, and legal experts were present at the ceremony.
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