New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant delivered the 22nd D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture at Bharat Mandapam, focusing on the growing challenges of cybercrime and the evolving role of the police and judiciary in addressing them. The event was organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as part of its Raising Day celebrations.
The lecture, titled “Challenges of Cyber Crime – Role for Police and Judiciary,” highlighted the urgent need for coordinated, technology-driven responses to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The CBI observes its Raising Day on April 1, with the annual D.P. Kohli Lecture held in memory of its founding director D.P. Kohli.
During the event, the Chief Justice also conferred the Police Medal for Meritorious Service upon 23 officers and officials of the CBI.
In his address, Justice Surya Kant stressed that institutional strength is built on public trust rather than authority alone. He noted that cybercrime has become transnational, fast-moving, and anonymous, posing serious challenges to traditional investigative systems. Such offences, he said, affect not only financial systems but also human dignity and public confidence.
He called for a shift towards real-time, integrated, and technology-enabled responses, emphasizing seamless coordination between banks, telecom companies, digital platforms, and law enforcement agencies. He also underlined the need for automated detection systems, early-warning mechanisms, and enhanced digital forensic capabilities, along with specialised training for investigators.
Justice Kant identified capacity building, inter-agency collaboration, and technology-led governance as the three core pillars to effectively combat cybercrime. He further observed that the digital space, while offering vast opportunities, also conceals significant risks, requiring constant vigilance from both the judiciary and law enforcement agencies.
On this occasion, the Chief Justice also launched ‘ABHAY’, an AI-powered chatbot developed by the CBI to help citizens verify the authenticity of official communications. The tool is designed to counter frauds involving fake notices and “digital arrest” scams, where criminals impersonate officials to extort money from victims.
Earlier, CBI Director Praveen Sood welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted the importance of modernising investigative systems to address emerging cyber threats.
The legacy of D.P. Kohli was also remembered during the event. He served as the first Director of the CBI following its formation in 1963 and was instrumental in shaping the organisation’s guiding principles of “Industry, Impartiality, and Integrity.” The annual memorial lecture has been held since 2000 in his honour.
The event concluded with the presentation of Police Medals for Meritorious Service to officers across various ranks, recognising their contribution to maintaining integrity and efficiency in investigations.
