An unknown caller claiming to be from the “cybercrime unit in Bengaluru” attempted to bait retired Supreme Court Justice Jasti Chelameswar.
Published Jan 09, 2026 | 5:25 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 09, 2026 | 5:25 PM
Justice (retd) Jasti Chelameswar
Synopsis: Justice Chelameswar informed the man that he is a retired judge of the Supreme Court. One would imagine that any fraudster would take a beat to manoeuvre around this information. This caller, however, went on to insist that Justice Chelameswar’s judgeship was all the more reason for him to “cooperate with probe agencies”.
When Supreme Court Justice (retd) Jasti Chelameswar saw two missed calls from an unknown number (7208793247) on Friday afternoon, 9 January, he could not have imagined that he would be filing a complaint over it with the admin of the apex court.
In what appeared to be an attempt at a new-age cybercrime dubbed “digital arrest”, the person on the other end of the call claimed to be a staffer with the cybercrime unit in Bengaluru.
Speaking in English, the caller neither disclosed his name nor explained the reason for the call, and instead began interrogating the retired Supreme Court judge.
His first question was whether a particular phone number, ********55, belonged to the retired justice, seemingly with no idea who he was speaking to.
Justice Chelameswar responded that he did not know of the number being referred to. He said he had been using one number, ********68, which was unlisted as long as he was a judge of the Supreme Court and was later removed from the unlisted category.
“Where were you on 30 October,” came the next question. The tone and manner of questioning irked the retired justice, who sought to know why he must answer. He then inquired if the unknown caller knew who he was.
“I don’t need to know,” said the man on the other end of the phone call.
Justice Chelameswar informed the man that he is a retired judge of the Supreme Court. One would imagine that any fraudster would take a beat to manoeuvre around this information.
This caller, however, went on to insist that Justice Chelameswar’s judgeship was all the more reason for him to “cooperate with probe agencies”.
All this even as he neither revealed his name nor the reason for the call.
Unwilling to continue the conversation, Justice Chelameswar hung up and flagged the issue immediately with the Supreme Court admin orally.
The retired judge has been assured that the issue will be placed before the Chief Justice of India to initiate action.
Nobody, it seems, is safe from cyber fraud attempts, not even retired Supreme Court judges.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
