Use Techno-Legal mode to deal with new age crimes, Vaishnaw tells CBI

02 April 2025 07:30 am The minister requested the leading agency to take the lead in building the modern cyber-forensic laboratories by actively working on Tuesday with academic and research institutions, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, asked the Central Bureau of the Investigation (CBI) to take a technical approach to deal with the new crime and the academy in the light of the new New age to deal with changes are achieved by artificial intelligence on economic, social and technological fronts. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Bharat Mandapam in New -Delhi. (Ani) delivers the 21st DP Kohli Memorial Lecture on the 62nd Foundation Day of the CBI at Bharat Mandapam, the minister said: “An AI agent could commit a crime. The ethical question that will arise is who committed the crime and who to arrest? Can you arrest an AI agent? If these are the changes that are the AI, it is the means I happen in society today. Vaishnaw, who also has the information and broadcasting, and electronic and information technology portfolios, which is also not sufficient, said: “We need a technical legal approach to address the challenges instituted by the build-up of state crimes and investigations”, and has urged the leading agency to build the lead. He further emphasized the need for institutional frameworks that facilitate such collaboration and suggested that ministries and departments such as Meity, Department of Telecommunications (DOT), and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) work closely with investigations to create technology needed for modern law enforcement. Vaishnaw emphasized that “the future of effective criminal law in the combination of legal frameworks with technological ability and institutional innovation”, for which he urged the CBI to cooperate with the startups, industries and academia. “Our academy, our scientists, our researchers today have remarkable power and abilities. This power must be utilized by investigations into agencies, legal officers and government departments to develop technological solutions,” he added. Vaishnaw has been thinking about the transformative journey of India over the past decade on India’s rapid economic growth, strong management and technological leadership. Praveen Sood, director of CBI, said during the event that 2024 was a historic year for the agency, as it achieved many goals in reducing the pending matters, more charges and better international cooperation. According to the data obtained by HT, CBI disposed a record of 1,467 cases (1,293 charges and 174 closing reports) in 2024. Previously, CBI was only able to finalize investigations in less than 1,000 cases. Sood also said that due to excellent international collaboration 204 Interpol notices were issued in 2024 at the request of Indian agencies and police forces and 30 accused were exposed to India. He also emphasized the sensitive cases such as Neet, Net Exam Papers, RG Kar Medical College Rape and Human Trade of Indians to Russia, which was investigated by the CBI in 2024.