Jaipur, Nov 28 (NationPress) In a major step towards tackling the escalating issues of cyber fraud and digital arrest scams, the Rajasthan High Court delivered a pivotal ruling on Friday, mandating the state government to adopt stringent cyber safety protocols.

The court has ordered the creation of fresh guidelines regarding children's mobile phone usage and has limited the number of SIM cards to a maximum of three per person.

A single bench under Justice Ravi Chirania announced the verdict while rejecting the bail applications of two accused from Gujarat, Adnan Haider and Rahul Jagdish Jadhav, who are implicated in defrauding an elderly couple from Jodhpur of Rs 2 crore.

The alleged perpetrators posed as officials from the Mumbai Cyber Police, Enforcement Directorate, and Central Bureau of Investigation to extort money through numerous transactions conducted between April 29 and May 8, 2025.

The High Court noted that the investigation remains in its preliminary phases, with additional suspects yet to be identified.

Among the critical directives from the High Court are the establishment of a standard operating procedure (SOP) governing children's mobile usage and restrictions on SIM card issuance.

The Home Department has been tasked with developing the SOP in partnership with the Education Department and parent organizations to oversee mobile phone, online gaming, and social media usage by children in schools.

Moreover, telecom service providers will be prohibited from issuing more than three SIM cards under a single individual’s name.

Another directive from the High Court is the formation of the Rajasthan Cyber Crime Control Centre (R4C).

In recognition of the rise in cybercrime, the court instructed the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to establish the Rajasthan Cyber Crime Control Centre (R4C), modeled after the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).

It also mandated the hiring of dedicated IT Inspectors specifically for investigating cybercrimes, who will not be reassigned to general police duties.

Stricter regulations have also been implemented for banks, fintech companies, and ATMs.

Highlighting that many cyber frauds leverage the banking system, the court required all banks and fintech entities to utilize AI tools developed by the RBI, such as "Mule Hunter", for identifying mule accounts and suspicious transactions.

For clients with annual transaction amounts below Rs 50,000 or limited digital literacy, restrictions on internet banking and UPI transactions may be increased in accordance with legal requirements.

Banks are also required to conduct physical verifications on large transactions, especially for elderly or vulnerable account holders.

The court has ordered the drafting of an SOP aimed at curbing digital arrest scams.

A distinct SOP will be formulated to address the rising incidents of "digital arrests", where fraudsters intimidate victims through impersonation.

Banks and fintech companies are obliged to collaborate in identifying at-risk customers and providing monitoring, counseling, and cyber awareness initiatives, particularly when fixed deposits are withdrawn prematurely.

Regulations for gig workers, call centers, and digital devices have also been mandated.

All digital devices, whether new or second-hand, sold in Rajasthan must come under the oversight of the Director General (Cyber).

An online registration system will be implemented for this purpose.

Call centers and BPOs will now be required to register with the DG Cyber and comply with a code of conduct.

Platform-based gig workers (Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato) must undergo police verification.

Additionally, dual registration with the Transport Department and DG Cyber, provision of uniforms and ID cards with QR codes, and mandatory audits of government digital transactions have also been instructed.

The court directed the state to ensure rigorous adherence to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the 2025 Rules.

All digital transactions within government departments will now undergo monthly audits.

This court ruling signifies a robust initiative to strengthen Rajasthan's cyber safety framework in light of increasing cyber fraud, impersonation crimes, and misuse of digital platforms.