The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have informed the Supreme Court that directions have been issued to over-the-top (OTT) communication applications, including WhatsApp, to implement SIM binding as part of efforts to curb digital arrest scams, according to a Bar and Bench report dated February 10, 2026.
The submission formed part of the centre’s status report filed in a suo motu case initiated by the apex court in October 2025 to address the growing menace of digital arrest scams across the country.
During the hearing, a bench was informed that the centre has constituted an inter-departmental committee to examine the issue. The status report stated that the committee has met twice so far and has held detailed discussions with the telecom department on vulnerabilities in SIM issuance and management, which are being exploited by malicious actors.
According to the report, misuse of OTT communication platforms, particularly WhatsApp, has emerged as a major channel for digital arrest scams. The DoT has indicated that this issue can be mitigated through SIM binding.
The recent surge in fraudulent calls and messages leading to scams, digital arrests, credit card fraud, e-commerce fraud and sextortion has prompted the government to take stricter measures, including mandating SIM binding to curb fraudulent app-based communication services. Further, the centre and law enforcement agencies have also undertaken proactive steps to reduce instances of digital arrest scams.
