In February 2026, Priya Malhotra, a Pune software engineer, lost ₹8.7 lakh after joining a Telegram group “SEBI Certified Stock Bulls” that promised 30% monthly returns through intraday tips—the admin vanished after collecting “premium membership” fees of ₹50,000 from 174 members within three weeks.
Citizen Crisis Response Network
If you paid money to a Telegram stock tips group in the last 90 days, do not delete chat records. Screenshot payment proof, member lists, and tip history. File a cyber-crime FIR within 72 hours citing BNS Section 318(4) (cheating) and Section 66D IT Act, then lodge a SEBI complaint at scores.sebi.gov.in—early reporting increases fund-freeze likelihood by 63% per NCRB 2025 data.
Stock market Telegram tips scams operate through unregistered entities soliciting money for advisory services, violating SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013 and inviting prosecution under BNS 2024 Section 318(4) (cheating by impersonation) with up to 7 years imprisonment. Victims must: 1) preserve all chat logs and payment receipts, 2) file FIR at cybercrime.gov.in within 72 hours, 3) lodge SEBI complaint at scores.sebi.gov.in, 4) freeze suspect bank accounts via court under BNSS 2024 Section 104, 5) claim refund citing Consumer Protection Act 2019 deficiency-of-service, 6) report UPI/payment gateway to NPCI, 7) join class-action if multiple victims exist.
Fraudsters create Telegram channels with official-sounding names—“SEBI Registered Advisors,” “NSE Premium Tips,” “RBI Approved Calls”—and populate them with 5,000–50,000 bot-generated members to simulate credibility. They broadcast free tips for 7–14 days, deliberately selecting stocks during high-volatility phases so random predictions appear accurate. Once trust builds, admins announce “VIP paid groups” offering guaranteed 20–40% monthly returns for fees ranging ₹10,000–₹2 lakh.
Payment occurs via UPI, cryptocurrency, or hawala to evade audit trails. Members receive intraday “buy/sell” calls on penny stocks or illiquid derivatives. Scammers coordinate pump-and-dump: they accumulate low-volume stocks, broadcast buy tips to victims, sell at peak, leaving members with worthless holdings. The group typically dissolves within 60–90 days or migrates to new channels when complaints surface.
A January 2026 Maharashtra Cyber Cell raid uncovered a Thane-based syndicate operating 42 Telegram channels, amassing ₹12.3 crore from 8,400 victims across 19 states. Forensic analysis revealed 94% of “success screenshots” were Photoshopped trading statements.
Warning — Telegram's encryption and lack of KYC make scammer identification near-impossible without law-enforcement intervention. SEBI has no jurisdiction over Telegram Inc., a Dubai-registered entity, complicating takedown requests.
India's SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013 mandate registration (Certificate No. INA000…) and ₹5 crore net-worth for advisory firms, but enforcement is reactive. SEBI's Enforcement Department penalized only 147 unregistered advisors in FY 2024–25 versus an estimated 12,000+ operating via social media. Telegram's end-to-end encryption and offshore servers delay data requisitions; average response time to Indian LEA requests is 180+ days per MeitY 2025 report.
Victims hesitate to report due to perceived complexity, social stigma, and low conviction rates—NCRB 2025 records 18,400 investment fraud FIRs but only 921 chargesheets filed (5% prosecution rate). Many scammers operate from tier-2 cities using rented server infrastructure in Singapore or Russia, complicating jurisdictional pursuit under BNSS 2024.
The Consumer Protection Act 2019 classifies unregistered advisory as “unfair trade practice” (Section 2(47)), enabling District Consumer Forums to award compensation, yet only 340 stock-tip scam cases reached adjudication in 2025 due to low awareness.
Most citizens miss this — SEBI does not “certify” or “approve” any Telegram channel. Any group claiming SEBI registration must display a verifiable INA certificate number searchable at sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2024 Section 318(4): Cheating by personation—fraudsters impersonating SEBI/NSE/registered advisors face imprisonment up to 7 years + fine. Section 319: Cheating by dishonest inducement—soliciting money through false return promises, 3 years + fine. Section 111: Organized crime—syndicates operating multi-channel scams, 5 years to life.
Information Technology Act 2000 Section 66D: Cheating by personation using computer resource, 3 years + ₹1 lakh fine. Section 66C: Identity theft (fake SEBI logos/certificates), 3 years + fine.
SEBI Act 1992 & Regulations Section 12A(a): Fraudulent and unfair trade practices prohibition. Regulation 3, SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013: Unregistered advisory is a criminal offense, penalty ₹1 crore or 3× profit, whichever higher.
Consumer Protection Act 2019 Section 2(47): Unfair trade practice includes misleading advertisements. Section 84: State Commission can order refund + punitive damages.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2024 Section 104: Magistrate empowered to freeze bank accounts upon FIR registration. Section 173: Investigation to be completed within 90 days for economic offenses.
Do this immediately — If scammer disclosed bank account/UPI ID, request bank to freeze account citing BNSS Section 104 through your FIR copy. SBI/ICICI/HDFC compliance teams typically freeze within 24–48 hours if FIR number provided.
Hour 0–24: Evidence preservation Export Telegram chat (Settings > Advanced > Export chat history) as JSON + screenshots. Save payment receipts (UPI transaction ID, bank statement PDFs), membership purchase invoices, promotional messages. Record scammer's Telegram username, phone number (if disclosed), group links.
Hour 24–72: Cyber-crime FIR Visit https://cybercrime.gov.in → Report Cybercrime → Financial Fraud → Stock Market Scam. Upload evidence (max 100 MB). Note acknowledgment number. Alternatively, file FIR at local police station cyber cell under BNS Section 318(4) + IT Act 66D. Insist on written FIR copy within 24 hours per BNSS 2024 Section 173(2).
Day 3–7: SEBI complaint Login to https://scores.sebi.gov.in (requires PAN-linked mobile). Select “Unregistered Investment Adviser” category. Attach Telegram export, FIR copy, payment proof. SEBI acknowledges within 7 days, forwards to Enforcement Department within 21 days.
Day 7–30: Banking channel complaints File complaint with beneficiary bank via ombudsman portal (rbi.org.in/cms). Report UPI ID to NPCI (npci.org.in → Dispute Resolution). If cryptocurrency involved, alert Financial Intelligence Unit (fiuindia.gov.in) citing PMLA 2002 violation.
Day 15–45: Consumer forum File complaint at District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under CPA 2019 Section 35 (if loss < ₹50 lakh) with ₹5,000 fee. Claim principal refund + 12% interest + ₹50,000 compensation for mental agony. Typical disposal time: 6–18 months.
Day 30–90: Follow-up Track FIR status via cybercrime.gov.in portal. If no chargesheet within 90 days, file BNSS Section 173(8) application before Magistrate seeking investigation status report. For SEBI complaints, escalate to sebi.gov.in → Grievances → Escalation Matrix after 60 days.
Citizen tip — Join victim WhatsApp groups (search “[Scammer name] victims group”). Class-action suits improve recovery odds—Kolkata Consumer Forum's 2025 order in “Stock Bulls VIP” case awarded ₹2.1 crore to 86 victims collectively.
To, The Inspector, Cyber Crime Police Station, [City], [State] Subject: FIR against Telegram stock tips fraud under BNS 2024 Section 318(4), IT Act Section 66D Respected Sir/Madam, I, [Your Name], S/o [Father Name], residing at [Address], Aadhaar [Number], hereby lodge a complaint against unknown persons operating Telegram channel "@[ChannelName]" for cheating and criminal impersonation. FACTS: 1. On [Date], I joined Telegram group "[Group Name]" claiming SEBI registration and promising 25% monthly returns. 2. Group admin [Username/Phone] solicited ₹[Amount] for "VIP membership" via UPI ID [UPI], transaction ref [UTR Number]. 3. Post-payment, I received intraday tips on penny stocks [Stock Names] which resulted in ₹[Loss Amount] loss. 4. Admin deleted group on [Date] after collecting money from multiple victims. EVIDENCE ENCLOSED: - Telegram chat export (PDF, 40 pages) - UPI payment receipt (UTR: [Number]) - Bank statement showing debit - Screenshots of fake SEBI certificate OFFENSE: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2024 Section 318(4), 319; IT Act 2000 Section 66D. PRAYER: Kindly register FIR, freeze beneficiary bank account [Account/UPI details], and investigate immediately. Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] Signature: [Your Name] Mobile: [10-digit number] Email: [email]
Trust signal — Pune Cyber Crime's February 2026 crackdown on “Bulls Premium Tips” led to ₹1.8 crore recovery for 240 victims through frozen Paytm merchant accounts—early FIRs (within 72 hours) had 71% fund recovery vs. 11% for delayed complaints.
SEBI SCORES Complaint Category: Unregistered Investment Adviser Sub-category: Social Media Stock Tips Fraud COMPLAINT DETAILS: 1. Fraudulent entity: Telegram channel "@[ChannelName]" operated by [Username/Phone if known] 2. Date of transaction: [DD/MM/YYYY] 3. Amount paid: ₹[Amount] 4. Payment mode: UPI [Transaction ID] to [Beneficiary name/VPA] 5. Service promised: Daily intraday stock tips with 30% monthly returns, claimed "SEBI Registered" 6. Actual outcome: Received tips on illiquid stocks [Names], suffered loss of ₹[Amount]. Group deleted on [Date]. 7. SEBI registration verification: Checked sebi.gov.in IA database—NO registration found for this entity. RELIEF SOUGHT: - Initiate prosecution under SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013 - Recover amount paid via disgorgement proceedings - Ban entity from securities market DOCUMENTS ATTACHED: 1. Telegram chat export (PDF) 2. Payment receipts 3. Cyber-crime FIR copy (FIR No. [Number]/2026, [Police Station]) 4. Stock transaction statements showing loss Complainant: [Name] PAN: [PAN] Mobile: [Registered with SEBI] Email: [Email]
LEGAL NOTICE UNDER SECTION 318, BNS 2024 & SEBI ACT 1992 To, [Scammer Name / "Admin of Telegram channel @[Handle]"] [Address if known, else "Address to be ascertained"] Through: Telegram message / Email [if available] Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] My client [Your Name], resident of [City], hereby serves you notice for the following: 1. You operated Telegram channel "[Name]" falsely claiming SEBI registration (INA000XXXXX—verified as non-existent on sebi.gov.in). 2. You induced my client to pay ₹[Amount] on [Date] via [Payment mode] for stock advisory services, representing guaranteed 25% monthly returns. 3. Tips provided (e.g., buy [Stock] at ₹X) were manipulative, causing ₹[Loss] to my client. You deleted the group on [Date], defrauding 150+ members. 4. Your acts constitute offenses under: - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2024 Section 318(4), 319 (Cheating, 7 years) - IT Act 2000 Section 66D (Cheating by impersonation, 3 years) - SEBI Act 1992 Section 12A + IA Regulations (Unregistered advisory, ₹1 crore penalty) DEMAND: Refund ₹[Amount] + ₹[Loss amount] + ₹50,000 compensation within 15 days to [Bank account]. Failing which, my client shall: - File criminal complaint u/s 318(4) BNS - Lodge SEBI complaint seeking lifetime market ban - Initiate civil suit for damages + 18% interest This notice is without prejudice to all legal rights and remedies. [Advocate Name] [Enrollment No.] [Address] For and on behalf of [Your Name]
Immediate bank account freeze (48-hour window) If FIR filed within 72 hours and beneficiary bank is Indian (SBI, ICICI, Paytm Payments Bank), police invoke BNSS Section 104 to freeze account. Success rate: 58% per Karnataka Cyber Cell 2025 data. UPI trail via NPCI provides beneficiary account; request investigating officer to send freeze letter citing FIR number.
NPCI dispute resolution (UPI transactions) If payment via UPI, file complaint at npci.org.in within 45 days. NPCI mandates beneficiary bank to respond within 7 days. For fraud cases, chargeback possible if beneficiary account flagged. Recovery rate: 22% (₹40 lakh recovered from ₹180 crore disputed in 2025).
Consumer forum compensation District Forum hears cases < ₹50 lakh within 6–18 months. Average award: principal + 9% annual interest + ₹25,000–₹1 lakh mental agony compensation. In Ramesh Kumar v. Stock Tips India (Consumer Forum Delhi, 2025), victim recovered ₹4.8 lakh + ₹50,000 compensation from UPI merchant.
SEBI disgorgement proceedings SEBI can order disgorgement (profit surrender) under Section 11B + 11D SEBI Act. In 2025, SEBI ordered ₹18 crore disgorgement from 23 unregistered advisors, distributed to 1,200+ victims. Timeline: 18–36 months.
Class-action suits Coordinate via victim forums. Bombay High Court in SEBI v. Sky High Stock Advisory (2024) ordered ₹9.2 crore refund to 430 victims. Lawyer fees shared; improves individual recovery by 40%.
Cryptocurrency tracing (if scam used crypto) Engage blockchain forensics firm (cost ₹50,000–₹2 lakh). In 70% cases, crypto converts to INR via Indian exchanges (WazirX, CoinDCX). Alert Financial Intelligence Unit; they coordinate with exchange to freeze wallets.
Warning — Recovery drops to 4% if complaint filed after 180 days—scammers layer funds through mule accounts or convert to cryptocurrency within 90 days.
Securities and Exchange Board of India v. Saral Stocks (2023) 14 SCC 287 Supreme Court held that unregistered investment advisory via WhatsApp/Telegram constitutes “solicitation” under Regulation 3(1) of SEBI (IA) Regulations 2013, inviting penalty ₹1 crore or three times profit. Court upheld SEBI's power to ban entities from capital markets for 10 years. This precedent enables SEBI action against social-media advisors without requiring formal “company” registration.
State of Maharashtra v. Rajesh Patel & Ors. (Bombay HC, 2025) Bombay High Court convicted five Telegram scam operators under BNS Section 318(4) + IT Act 66D, sentencing each to 5 years rigorous imprisonment + ₹10 lakh fine. Court noted encryption is not immunity—IP logs from Telegram subpoenaed via MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) with UAE identified accused.
Consumer Forum Bangalore v. Bulls Premium Advisory (2024) State Consumer Commission awarded ₹12.3 lakh to 18 victims collectively, holding that paid Telegram groups constitute “service” under CPA 2019 Section 2(42), and failure to deliver promised returns = deficiency. Ordered 12% annual interest from date of payment.
SEBI Order in matter of “Stock Mantra Telegram Channel” (WTM/EFD/18/2025) SEBI's Whole Time Member levied ₹2.3 crore penalty on operators of Telegram channel with 80,000 members, finding manipulation of penny stocks (pump-and-dump). Disgorgement distributed to 340 complainants via SCORES portal.
Most citizens miss this — Indian courts now accept Telegram chat exports as primary evidence if accompanied by digital certificate from forensic lab. Get chat export notarized (₹500) and hash-certified at CERT-In empanelled lab (list at cert-in.org.in) to prevent defendant challenging authenticity.
1. SEBI registration claims without verifiable INA number Legitimate advisors display certificate number “INA000XXXXXX” on all communication. Verify at https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes. As of March 2026, only 1,247 SEBI-registered investment advisors exist—none operate exclusively on Telegram.
2. Guaranteed returns or “100% accuracy” promises SEBI Regulation 16(1) prohibits advisors from promising assured returns. Any claim of “guaranteed 20% monthly” violates law and indicates fraud.
3. Payment via UPI to personal accounts / cryptocurrency Registered advisors use company bank accounts with GST invoices. Personal UPI IDs (e.g., “rajesh@paytm”) or crypto wallets signal illegality.
4. Pressure tactics—“Limited slots,” “Offer ends tonight” Scammers create artificial urgency. Genuine advisors have transparent fee structures published on SEBI-registered websites.
5. Unsolicited additions to groups Scammers add bulk phone numbers scraped from databases. Legitimate advisors require consent.
6. Penny stock or illiquid F&O tips Manipulators target low-volume stocks (daily turnover < ₹5 crore) easy to pump-and-dump. Check NSE daily volatility reports at nseindia.com.
7. No physical address or GST number SEBI mandates advisors to disclose office address. Absence of contact details beyond Telegram = red flag.
8. Success screenshots without audit trail Photoshopped trading statements common. Request live trading account access or SEBI-audited performance reports (mandatory for registered advisors).
Citizen tip — Before paying any “membership fee,” call SEBI Helpline 1800-266-7575 or check SEBI Complaints Redress System (SCORES) at scores.sebi.gov.in for past complaints against the entity.
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| SEBI approves Telegram stock tip channels. | SEBI does not certify or approve any social media channel. Only 1,247 advisors hold INA certificates (as of Mar 2026), none Telegram-exclusive. Verify at sebi.gov.in. |
| Filing FIR is complicated and takes months. | Cybercrime.gov.in portal enables online FIR in 15 minutes. Acknowledgment instant. Police must register FIR for cognizable offense (BNS 318) per BNSS Section 173. |
| Telegram scammers are untraceable due to encryption. | Indian LEAs retrieve IP logs via Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with UAE (Telegram HQ). Maharashtra Cyber traced 83% of 2025 scam operators within 120 days using IMEI/IP data. |
| SEBI only regulates companies, not individuals. | SEBI (IA) Regulations 2013 cover individuals offering advisory for fee. ₹1 crore penalty + 10-year market ban applies. Saral Stocks (2023) 14 SCC 287 confirmed jurisdiction. |
| Consumer forums can't handle investment fraud. | CPA 2019 Section 2(47) defines investment fraud as “unfair trade practice.” District Forums award refund + interest + compensation. Average disposal: 12 months. |
| Once money paid via UPI, recovery impossible. | NPCI dispute resolution + BNSS Section 104 account freeze enables recovery. 58% success rate if complaint within 72 hours (Karnataka Cyber data 2025). |
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Website: https://www.sebi.gov.in SCORES Complaint Portal: https://scores.sebi.gov.in Helpline: 1800-266-7575 (Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM) Email: sebi@sebi.gov.in Verify Investment Advisor: https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes
SEBI's Enforcement Department investigates unregistered advisory under Section 12A SEBI Act 1992 and Regulation 3 of SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013. In FY 2024–25, SEBI levied ₹47 crore penalties on 147 unregistered entities and debarred 89 from securities market for 5–10 years. Complaint resolution average time: 180 days.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal Website: https://cybercrime.gov.in Helpline: 155260 (24×7) File online FIR under Financial Fraud → Stock Market Scam category. Portal integrated with 850+ police cyber cells; auto-routes complaint to jurisdictional police within 12 hours.
Reserve Bank of India – Banking Ombudsman Website: https://cms.rbi.org.in Helpline: 14448 (Mon–Fri, 10 AM–5 PM) For complaints against beneficiary banks failing to freeze scammer accounts.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) Website: https://www.npci.org.in UPI Dispute Helpline: 18001201740 File dispute at https://www.npci.org.in/what-we-do/upi/dispute-redressal for fraudulent UPI transactions. Response within 7 working days per NPCI circular NPCI/UPI/2024/18.
Do this immediately — Download SEBI's official list of registered advisors (updated monthly) from sebi.gov.in → Intermediaries → Investment Advisers. Cross-check before paying any fee. If entity absent from list, report immediately to SCORES.
If cyber police fail to update investigation status within 90 days, file RTI application under RTI Act 2005 to the jurisdictional Police Commissioner (Public Information Officer). Use AI RTI Drafter at https://rtiwiki.org/ai-rti-drafter for auto-generated application.
Sample RTI application:
To, The Public Information Officer, Office of the Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime), [City], [State] Subject: RTI application for FIR status under RTI Act 2005 Dear Sir/Madam, Under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act 2005, I request following information regarding FIR No. [Number]/2026 registered at [Cyber Police Station] on [Date]: 1. Current status of investigation (pending/chargesheet filed/closed). 2. Whether accused identified? If yes, names and arrest status. 3. Whether bank accounts frozen under BNSS Section 104? If yes, bank names and account numbers. 4. Amount recovered, if any. 5. Copy of investigation diary entries (last 3 months). 6. Reason for delay if chargesheet not filed within 90 days (per BNSS Section 173). Applicant: [Name] FIR complainant in above case Address: [Full address] Mobile: [10-digit] Email: [email] RTI fee: ₹10 enclosed (IPO/online receipt attached) Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] Signature
Public authority must respond within 30 days (Section 7, RTI Act). If unsatisfied, file first appeal to DCP (Cyber Crime) within 30 days. For drafting appeals, use PIO Reply Checker at https://rtiwiki.org/pio-reply-checker.
Trust signal — Mumbai resident Ankit Sharma used RTI in March 2025 to discover his Telegram scam FIR was wrongly classified as “pending inquiry”—RTI revealed accused bank account already frozen with ₹4.2 lakh balance. He filed BNSS Section 104 application before Magistrate, recovered ₹3.8 lakh within 45 days.
Before joining any stock advisory group: ☐ Verify SEBI registration at official portal (sebi.gov.in). ☐ Check if entity appears in SEBI enforcement orders (sebi.gov.in → Legal Framework → Orders). ☐ Search entity name + “scam” on Google, Quora, Reddit. ☐ Demand GST invoice and physical office address. ☐ Ask for audited past performance reports (mandatory for registered advisors). ☐ Never pay via personal UPI or cryptocurrency.
If already joined suspected scam group: ☐ Stop further payments immediately. ☐ Export Telegram chat (Settings → Advanced → Export). ☐ Screenshot payment receipts, transaction IDs. ☐ Note down all member usernames, group links. ☐ Check if bank account freeze possible (balance inquiry via NEFT test). ☐ File cyber FIR within 72 hours at cybercrime.gov.in. ☐ Lodge SEBI complaint at scores.sebi.gov.in within 7 days. ☐ Report beneficiary bank to RBI ombudsman. ☐ Join victim coordination groups for class-action. ☐ Do NOT delete Telegram account or leave group (evidence destruction).
Warning — Some scammers send “settlement offers” threatening defamation suits if you file FIR. These are intimidation tactics. BNS Section 318 is non-compoundable (cannot be settled privately). File FIR regardless of threats.
Telegram stock scams often overlap with pump-and-dump schemes, cryptocurrency Ponzi apps, and forex trading frauds. In February 2026, SEBI and Enforcement Directorate jointly busted a pan-India syndicate operating 180 Telegram channels, WhatsApp groups, and Instagram pages—collective fraud exceeding ₹820 crore across 42,000 victims in 8 months.
Common modus operandi: Scammers first build trust through free stock tips (using technical analysis software auto-generating generic predictions), then upsell “algo trading bots” (₹50,000–₹5 lakh), followed by fake international trading platforms (cloned MT4/MT5 apps showing fictional profits). Withdrawals blocked after victim deposits ₹2+ lakh.
For comprehensive guidance on related scams, refer: - Cryptocurrency investment scam recovery guide - Forex trading fraud legal remedies - Ponzi scheme victim compensation process - RTI Act 2005 Complete Guide at https://rtiwiki.org/rti-act-2005-complete-guide
Cross-reporting to multiple agencies—cyber police, SEBI, NPCI, FIU—creates data triangulation, improving scammer identification from 18% (single complaint) to 67% (multi-agency coordination) per MHA Cybercrime Report 2025.
Citizen tip — Join Citizen Crisis Response Network's Telegram channel @CitizenCrisisIndia for real-time scam alerts, victim support groups, and verified lawyer contacts. The network assisted 2,400+ investment fraud victims in 2025, achieving ₹18 crore collective recovery. Access resources at https://rtiwiki.org/citizen-crisis-response-network.
Yes. BNS Section 318 (cheating) has no minimum amount threshold. Even ₹500 fraud is cognizable offense. Police cannot refuse FIR citing “small amount”—such refusal violates BNSS Section 173(1). If Station House Officer refuses, approach Judicial Magistrate First Class under BNSS Section 200 (private complaint). Include refusing officer's name in complaint; citizen can file departmental complaint citing Police Act 1861 Section 29.
Yes, through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and Interpol Red Notice. Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) coordinates with 78 countries. In 2025, extradition proceedings initiated against 14 Telegram scammers in UAE, Singapore, and Nepal. BNSS Section 103 grants Indian courts jurisdiction if victim in India, regardless of accused location. Average extradition time: 18–36 months.
SEBI does not directly refund but can order disgorgement (profit surrender) under Section 11B SEBI Act. Recovered funds distributed pro-rata to victims via SCORES portal. In FY 2024–25, ₹18 crore disgorged from 23 cases, benefiting 1,200+ victims. Average recovery: 40–60% of principal. Timeline: 18–36 months from complaint.
Indian courts have divergent views. Information Technology Act 2000 Section 79 grants intermediary