Premier investigating agencies should focus on crimes, economic offences against nation: CJI DY Chandrachud

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Monday called for India's premier investigating agencies to focus on probing crimes concerning national security and economic offences against the nation..He said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in particular now had an expanded purview."I think we have spread out our premier investigative agencies too thin. They must only focus on those crimes that concern national security, and crimes of economic offences against the nation."He added in jest that lawyers, however, welcome the CBI's increase scope of cases. "The Central Bureau of Investigation is increasingly being asked to investigate a diverse array of criminal cases apart from its original role of anti corruption. Courts have through various judgments strengthened the institution. Legal profession should be happy about it (expanded purview), because it has given members of the Bar increased income-earning opportunities.".The CJI was delivering the 20th DP Kohli Memorial Lecture on the topic Adopting Technology to Advance Criminal Justice. He began his speech by heaping praise on Kohli, who was the first CBI Director."Mr Kohli was handpicked to curb the tendency of corruption among public officials, and believed that the Central Bureau of Investigation could be transformed to be the premier investigating agency, and laid its foundation in 1963. That we remember him over five decades since he handed over the reins speaks volumes about his dedication and professionalism.".He stressed that the speedy disposal of cases being probed by the CBI is crucial."The accused are charged with serious violations of the law, and their life and reputation are altered and hurt. Delays become an impediment in justice delivery...A multi-pronged stretegy is needed to tackle slow disposal of CBI cases so that their pendency does not translate to guilt."On the cases pending before the Supreme Court regarding guidelines for the search and seizure of personal digital devices by investigative agencies, he said,"Instances of raids conducted and unwanted confiscation of personal devices highlight the pressing need to balance investigative imperatives and privacy rights.".He went on to state that technology is changing the way crime is conceptualised and investigated."Firstly, violators of the law now have the ability to global networks through technology and does not have to perform in individual silos. Crime itself may no longer have a site, in the digital sphere. Digital analytics and manipulation are not tethered to a scene of crime. Acts are now numerous than one swoop and have to be seen in totality of the violation."He urged the country to rethink ts investigative frameworks in this regard, and form multidisciplinary teams of law enforcement officers and domain experts like data analysts..Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a gamechanger in revolutionising criminal justice, CJI Chandrachud underscored, albeit with a word of caution."Potential leads and data can be mined with unprecedented accuracy. AI aids in decomplicating crimes. But it is not free of prejudice and bias, it may lead to community based profiling of marginalised groups of having a greater likelihood to indulge in crimes. This might lead to targetting and raise questions of data privacy.".In conclusion, the Chief Justice of India called for leveraging what the latest technologies offer to bolster crime detection, investigation and prosecution."But individual rights and concerns of data privacy too must be tackled. I am confident by doing so we can ensure citizen-centric justice."