NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to introduce an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot named ‘Abhay’ to assist the public in verifying the authenticity of official notices, aiming to curb the growing menace of digital arrest frauds.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the chatbot, ‘Abhay’, will be formally unveiled on Monday by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant during the 22nd D P Kohli Memorial Lecture. The CJI will also deliver a lecture on the challenges posed by cybercrime and the respective roles of the police and the judiciary in addressing them. Additionally, he will present 24 Medals for Meritorious Service.
The ‘Abhay’ chatbot is designed to empower citizens by enabling them to confirm whether a notice purportedly issued by the CBI is genuine. This initiative comes as a critical tool for the public, particularly in light of prevalent digital arrest scams where fraudsters impersonate CBI officials to extort money.
In these fraudulent schemes, scammers often present fabricated notices to victims, falsely claiming they are involved in non-existent cases. They then leverage the threat of ‘digital arrest’ to coerce individuals, leading to the siphoning of substantial sums, sometimes amounting to crores of rupees.
The Supreme Court has previously highlighted the alarming scale of cybercrime, noting that approximately ₹54,000 crore has been lost to cybercriminals through various scams. The apex court has characterized such activities as egregious forms of theft, akin to ‘robbery or dacoity’.
The D P Kohli Memorial Lecture, an annual event since 2000, serves as a platform for distinguished personalities to address pressing issues in law enforcement and criminal justice. The lecture series honours the founding director of the CBI, D P Kohli, who was instrumental in establishing the agency on April 1, 1963.
D P Kohli, born in Uttar Pradesh in 1907, had a distinguished career in the police service, serving across various regions and in the government of India. He headed the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) before its transformation into the CBI and led the newly formed agency until his retirement in 1968.
The memorial lecture typically convenes eminent speakers from diverse professional backgrounds to share their expertise and insights on contemporary policing challenges, investigative techniques, and the broader landscape of criminal justice. The event aims to foster dialogue, facilitate knowledge exchange, and enhance the understanding of modern policing practices and accountability mechanisms within the law enforcement community.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
