WhatsApp banned 9,400 accounts linked to digital arrest scams: MHA told SC

NEW DELHI: In suo motu proceedings on digital arrest fraud cases, the Supreme Court was informed by the Union of India that WhatsApp banned 9,400 accounts linked to digital arrest scams and impersonation of law enforcement agencies during an investigation launched in January 2026.

Earlier, a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which had taken suo motu cognisance of online frauds, including digital arrests, had issued directions asking the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and others to jointly hold a meeting to create an effective framework for compensation in digital arrest cases.