CBI has gained high credibility, benchmark in crime investigation: Jitendra Singh

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said on Thursday that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has gained a high degree of credibility over the years and "it has become a benchmark for investigation of crimes".

He was speaking at the first national conference on Cybercrime Investigation and Forensics organised by the CBI here.

He announced that a Centralised Technology Vertical (CTV) with a cost of Rs 99 crore will be set up within CBI and it will be operational by next year. He said the facility will help in getting real-time information which will benefit interrogators.

Complimenting CBI, he said people from the most peripheral and remotest regions of the country have trust in the investigation agency.

According to an official release, Jitendra Singh said that India was still evolving as a nation and organisations like CBI have helped add credibility to the Indian democracy.

Singh, who is also Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Atomic Energy, Space and PMO, said that the nature of crime changes with the evolution of society and this makes it necessary for investigative agencies to keep evolving their techniques.

Referring to the change in crime scenario, he said the study of cybercrime was important for India as the country has a huge population and India has the second-largest number of internet users in the world.

The Minister said that tackling cybercrime cannot be left to CBI alone.

He noted that "cyber manipulators" were posing risk to the nation by circulating fake videos on the social media and called upon NGOs and activists to join the effort to counter cybercrime by changing the mindset of masses.

The minister said the government has laid thrust in fighting terrorism and decisive actions have been taken in this regard.

CBI Director R K Shukla said the conference was a platform where state police and enforcement agencies can share their best practices.