The Central government is preparing to introduce a Bill in Parliament that would make digital arrest scams and AI-generated deepfakes standalone criminal offences, marking a significant shift in India’s cybercrime framework. The issue came before the Supreme Court during hearings concerning the growing menace of digital arrest scams. Digital Arrest ScamsThe phrase “digital arrest” has entered public vocabulary only in recent years, yet the scam has already affected thousands of Indians across age groups and professions. Despite extensive awareness campaigns, digital arrest scams continue to grow because they exploit fear, confusion and the perceived authority of government institutions. AI-Generated DeepfakesAlongside digital arrest scams, the proposed legislation also seeks to address one of the biggest technological challenges of the AI era—deepfakes.