CBI to set up cyber-crime investigation branch in Mumbai

The Central Bureau of Investigation is planning to set up a cyber-crime investigation branch here, its director Anil Sinha said here on Tuesday.

For this, the Maharashtra government has been requested to notify the CBI for taking up investigation of offences under the Information Technology Act, 2000, he said, while inaugurating the agency's new city headquarters at Bandra-Kurla Complex here.

Addressing the gathering, he said that though the CBI started as an anti-corruption agency, in the past few decades, its scope has increased to cover economic offences, serious frauds and sensational cases.

"CBI is now a federal investigative agency which can probe most of the offences which affect public life in general and which have a direct bearing on the quality of life of the common man," Sinha said.

In this context, he said that the number of cases handed over to CBI by the courts and various state governments has been mounting over the years.

Discussing graft, Sinha said corruption flourishes due to three factors - opportunities, social acceptance and freedom from risks.

"It is the duty of the Vigilance setup to reduce opportunities, it is the duty of the citizens to complain, inform and be intolerant of corruption, and is the duty of investigative agencies like CBI and state ACBs to effective detect and prosecute the guilty to instill fear in them,"he stressed.

Noting Mumbai is the country's financial capital with headquarters of all major public and private sector banks, financial institutions, major gateway for imports-exports which directly impinge on the Indian economy besides a very high density of key government departments like banks, railways, customs, central excise, oil companies, defence establishments and PSUs, he said these offer an umpteen number of interactions between the citizens, businessmen, professionals and middlemen on one side and government departments, banks and financial institutions on the other.

He urged all officers to work harder to provide better services and be responsive to public complaints and informants, make witnesses feels safe and secure.

Keshav Kumar, CBI joint director, Mumbai Zone, said the new building will house all CBI branches like Anti-Corruption Branch, Economic Offences Wing, Banking & Securities Fraud Cell, Special Task Force and Special Crime Branch.

The ground plus 13 storey green building also has two basement floors and other top-class modern amenities, constructed on a 1,500 sq. metres plot at a cost of Rs.103 crore, said Kumar.