CJI Justice Surya Kant Highlights Rising Cybercrime Threat, Calls For Real-Time Tech-Driven Policing And Judicial Reforms

The Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, delivered the 22nd D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture today at Bharat Mandapam on the theme “Challenges of Cyber Crime – Role for Police and Judiciary.” The lecture was organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation in memory of its Founder Director, D. P. Kohli, as part of the organisation’s Raising Day observance held on April 1, 2026. On the occasion, the Hon’ble Chief Justice also conferred the Police Medal for Meritorious Service upon 23 officers and officials of the CBI.

In his address, the Hon’ble Chief Justice emphasised that institutional strength flows from public trust and not merely from authority. He observed that cybercrime has evolved into a transnational, fast-paced and anonymous threat that challenges conventional enforcement frameworks. He noted that such offences impact not only financial systems but also human dignity, autonomy and public confidence, and highlighted the gap between the real-time execution of cybercrime and the often delayed and fragmented institutional response.

The Hon’ble Chief Justice underscored the need for a transition towards real-time, coordinated and technology-driven responses, with seamless information sharing among banks, telecom service providers, digital platforms and law enforcement agencies. He stressed the importance of adopting automated detection systems, early-warning mechanisms and integrated command structures, and called for strengthening capacity in digital forensics, cyber intelligence and specialised training within investigative agencies. He stated that effectively addressing cybercrime requires a coordinated, anticipatory and collaborative approach, supported by judicial adaptability and robust technological safeguards. He further identified capacity building, collaboration and technology-led governance as the three key imperatives in tackling cybercrime.

Highlighting the evolving digital landscape, the Hon’ble Chief Justice remarked that the challenges posed by cybercrime demand constant vigilance and innovation. Using a vivid analogy, he described the digital domain as a vast ocean of opportunity, while cautioning against the hidden threats posed by cybercriminals, and emphasised that the police and the judiciary must act as twin pillars in safeguarding society in this environment.

On the occasion, the CJI also launched ‘ABHAY’, an AI-powered chatbot designed to assist citizens in verifying the authenticity of official communications and protecting themselves against cyber fraud. The initiative assumes particular significance in view of instances where fake notices have been misused in the name of the CBI in frauds such as so-called “digital arrest” scams. ‘ABHAY’ provides a reliable tool for the public to verify whether a notice has in fact been issued by the CBI, thereby helping to prevent misuse and enhancing public trust.

Earlier, Director CBI, Praveen Sood, welcomed the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and other distinguished guests.

The contributions of Shri D. P. Kohli were also recollected. He made an invaluable contribution to the growth of the CBI, which today stands as India’s premier investigative agency. He served as the Inspector General of the Special Police Establishment from July 23, 1955 until the formation of the CBI on April 1, 1963, and thereafter as Director of the CBI until May 31, 1968. The CBI was established in 1963 on the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee, of which Shri Kohli was also a member. His leadership laid the foundation of the organisation and its enduring motto, “Industry, Impartiality and Integrity.” The D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture has been organised annually since 2000 in his honour.

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The Police Medal for Meritorious Service was conferred upon the following officers and officials:

1. Sh. Rajiv Ranjan, IPS, Joint Director, CBI, Ranchi Zone

2. Ms. Sudha Singh, IPS, DIG (now Joint Director, Administration), CBI

3. Sh. Ashwin Anand Shenvi, IPS, DIG (now Joint Director, IPCU & Coordination Zone)

4. Ms. Jayalakshmi Ramanujam, IPS, then DIG, CBI (now IGP/Director, Anti-Corruption Branch, Andhra Pradesh)

5. Sh. Amrit Pal Singh, Deputy Legal Advisor, CBI

6. Sh. Vivek, DSP, CBI

7. Sh. Suraj Majumder, DSP, CBI

8. Sh. Raj Kumar, Inspector, CBI

9. Sh. Manickavel Sundaramoorthy, Inspector, CBI

10. Sh. Sanjeev Sharma, Inspector, CBI

11. Sh. Baldev Kumar, Inspector, CBI

12. Sh. Rajinder Kumar, Sub-Inspector, CBI

13. Sh. Vishnu Om Vikram, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI

14. Sh. Naresh Kumar Kaushik, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI

15. Sh. Wahengbam Sunil Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI

16. Sh. Subhash Kisan Khatele, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI

17. Sh. Kuldeep Kumar Bhardwaj, Assistant Sub-Inspector, CBI

18. Sh. Aloke Kumar Mazumdar, Head Constable, CBI

19. Sh. N. Krishna, Head Constable, CBI

20. Sh. Vinod Kumar Choudhary, Head Constable, CBI

21. Sh. Daya Ram Yadav, Head Constable, CBI Academy, Ghaziabad

22. Sh. Shaik Khamruddin, Constable, CBI

23. Sh. Rajesh Kumar, Constable, CBI

The event was attended by Judges of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and various High Courts, senior officials from the Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal, Union Secretaries, and heads of central agencies including ED and NIA, along with senior officers from Central Armed Police Forces. The programme was also webcast live, with links shared with High Courts, State and Union Territory Police Forces, Chief Vigilance Officers and CBI offices across the country.