Rajasthan HC Issues Directives To Combat Rising Cyber Crimes; Directs Uber, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy To Mandatorily Register Their Gig Workers
The Court also directed Ola, Uber, etc., to have at least 15% of female drivers for the security of female passengers.
The Rajasthan High Court issued various directions to combat the rising cyber/digital crimes and directed companies like Uber, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, etc, to register their gig workers with the State Transport Department.
The Court also held that companies such as Ola, Uber, etc., which are used for transportation, must be encouraged to have at least 15% female drivers of cars/bikes/scooters for the security of female passengers.
The single bench of Justice Ravi Chirania held, “24. All Ola, Uber etc. cars and bike riders and all gig workers of companies like Swiggy, Zomato, etc. must be compulsorily registered with the State Transport Department with commercial number plate. They must also be registered with DG Cyber. Only the person registered with the company/authorised driver shall drive the vehicle while performing the duties; for any impersonation by driver of the vehicle the respective company would be liable for which DG Cyber shall issue detailed SOP in consultation with Commissioner, State Transport Department, the companies providing services and also after taking public suggestions. This shall be made effective w.e.f. 01.03.2026.”
Advocate Ram Singh Rawal appeared on behalf of the Petitioner, while Additional Advocate General-cum-GA Deepak Choudhary and Public Prosecutor Urja Ram Kalbi appeared for the State. Advocate Nisheeth Dixit appeared as Amicus Curiae.
The High Court was adjudicating bail applications in a case where the Petitioners impersonated police officers to extort over ₹2 crore from an elderly couple through a fabricated “digital arrest".
“The State has enacted the Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act, 2023, which was published in the Gazette on 14.09.2023. All gig workers must be registered with DG Cyber and a common uniform/dress with a QR code and ID card for their identification shall be made mandatory w.e.f. 01.02.2026. All gig workers shall carry their ID cards while performing their duties and shall produce them as and when demanded by authorities or consumers.”, the Court directed.
The Court issued comprehensive directives to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Director General of Police, and Director General (SCRB Cyber) to establish a robust framework for preventing, detecting, and investigating cybercrimes in Rajasthan.
It was also directed, “DIRECTIONS IN RESPECT OF BANKS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINTECH COMPANIES ETCS.: 9. ACS Home and DG, Cyber shall instruct all banks, financial institutions, fintech companies etc., including those companies which maintain/provide ATM facilities, to use AI Tools in ATM software to detect and stop/block the use of multiple ATM cards when it is used by unauthorized person. 10. ACS, Home shall ensure that all nationalised & private banks, fintech companies etc., along with the Authority of RBI in the State, strictly act to control and monitor mule accounts in the State.”
The Court also directed the ACS, Home to issue directions for the registration of and regulation of the sale and purchase and other connected activities of all companies, shopkeepers etc. (physical shops, offices and shops in digital space) which are engaged in the commercial activity of sale and purchase of original and second-hand devices.
“28. In order to save persons from being victims of digital arrest, ACS Home shall direct all banks, financial institutions, fintech companies etc., to issue a joint SOPs to be followed mandatorily by their officials up to the bottom level to closely monitor sudden high-value transactions by elderly couple or vulnerable account holders etc. On noticing any sudden high value transaction a physical visit shall be mandatorily made to the house of the account-holder within 48 hours so as to check any suspicious activity or to save them from any cyber fraud.”, the Court said.
The Member Secretary, Rajasthan State, Legal Service Authority was also directed to initiate necessary actions/steps for prevention of cyber-crimes by starting an awareness drive and creating/establishing “CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS CELL” and to appoint IT experts, lawyers with knowledge of Cyber Laws for providing legal assistance and information to the litigants up to the District and Taluka level in the State.
Accordingly, the Court rejected the bail applications filed by the Petitioners.
Cause Title: Adnan Haidar Bhai v. State of Rajasthan and Rahul Jagdish Bhai Jadhav v. State Of Rajasthan [Neutral Citation: 2025:RJ-JD:46512]
Appearances:
Petitioners: Advocates Ram Singh Rawal and Surendra Bagmalani.
Respondent-State: Additional Advocate General-cum-GA Deepak Choudhary, Public Prosecutor Urja Ram Kalbi, Rajeev Kumar Sharma, Director General of Police, Sachin Mittal-Additional Director General (SCRB & Cyber), Om Prakash-Commissioner of Police, Jodhpur, Pushpendra Singh, RPS-ACP, PS. Cyber Jodhpur.
Complainant: Advocates Prakash Bishnoi, Mahipal Singh and Shiv Singh
Amicus Curiae: Advocate Nisheeth Dixit