NEW CRIMINAL LAWS, LAWRENCE BISHNOI GANG & CYBERCRIME TO TOP PRIORITY LIST AT DG-IG CONFERENCE IN BHUSADEVAPURAM

Bhubaneswar, Nov 11, 2024:

The top police officials of the country are set to gather in Bhubaneswar on November 29 for the annual DG-IG Conference, where policing, organised crime, and implementation of new criminal laws will be under the spotlight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the conference, which is helmed by the Intelligence Bureau every year. This time, the focus is on addressing the continuous threats and extortion calls from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

The three new criminal laws - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam - were rolled out across the country from July 31. However, officials revealed that there are "teething issues with implementation" and the issue is likely to be discussed at this pan-India platform.

"We need to address manpower and resource building across all five verticals involved in the smooth rollout of these new laws - jails, court, police, prosecution, and forensics," a DG-rank official said. The best practices followed in Union Territories like Delhi are likely to be shared with other states on how to overcome these hurdles.

Organised Crime

The pan-India nature of organised crime is another major discussion point at the conference. According to top police officials, many states have special laws like MCOCA to deal with such crimes. However, the growing cross-border nature of these networks poses significant challenges for police forces across the country.

Officials said the need is being felt to actively share intelligence and coordinate investigations across states and central agencies in cases of such organised crimes. NIA has found evidence that suggests Lawrence Bishnoi gangs are now collaborating with terror groups.

Cybercrime

The third focus area at the conference will be cybercrime, where the Ministry of Home Affairs is leading efforts through the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). However, awareness about how a victim of cybercrime can register a complaint and seek redressal remains minimal.

The prime minister had recently highlighted digital arrests in his Mann Ki Baat address. Top police officials will likely discuss setting up specialised cybercrime thanas for investigation, better utilising centre's databases to tackle such crimes, and increasing awareness about the registration process for cybercrime complaints.

Bhubaneswar to Host DG-IG Conference Location: Bhubaneswar, India

First Published: November 11, 2024, 11:59 IST