Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, is set to deliver the 22nd D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture at Bharat Mandapam, focusing on the increasing challenges of cybercrime and the changing roles of police and the judiciary in combating them. The lecture, hosted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), will revolve around the theme “Challenges of Cyber Crime: Role for Police and Judiciary,” highlighting the growing convergence of technology, crime, and justice systems. Additionally, CJI Surya Kant will introduce ‘ABHAY,’ an AI-powered chatbot for notice verification, aiming to help citizens authenticate CBI-issued notices amidst a surge in digital frauds like “digital arrest.”
On this occasion, CJI Surya Kant will unveil ‘ABHAY,’ an AI-driven notice verification chatbot, to empower individuals in confirming the legitimacy of notices supposedly issued by the CBI. This initiative is crucial in the face of increasing instances of “digital arrest” scams and is anticipated to offer a significant defense against impersonation and cyber-enabled deceit. The event will also witness the presentation of 24 Medals for Meritorious Service, acknowledging the exceptional contributions of CBI personnel.
The annual D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture, organized by the CBI, pays tribute to its founding Director, Dharamnath Prasad Kohli, who laid the groundwork for the agency. Established in 1963 by a Union government resolution, the CBI’s initial mandate was to investigate bribery, corruption, central fiscal law violations, and other serious offenses, evolving into India’s premier investigative body over the years. Kohli, the first Director of the CBI who previously led the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE), is recognized for enhancing investigative procedures and institutional credibility.
During the 20th D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture on the CBI’s Raising Day in 2024, former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud emphasized the necessity of safeguards to prevent the misuse of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. He cautioned that AI systems, influenced by biased data, could lead to the profiling of marginalized groups, potentially breaching privacy rights and resulting in disproportionate targeting. However, he also highlighted AI’s transformative potential in law enforcement, noting that agencies like the CBI could utilize algorithms to analyze extensive data, detect patterns, and generate actionable intelligence more efficiently, particularly in intricate cases such as human trafficking.
