For the past few weeks, I have been explaining how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has influenced the Indian judicial system. As a continuation of that series, today I will shed light on the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), a major initiative that has brought radical changes to policing across India and serves as the backbone of the modern police system.
The main goal of the CCTNS project, approved by the central government’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), is to make the police department’s work faster and more effective through the use of technology. This project is building a large, modern tracking network across the country specifically for “crime investigation and tracking of criminals”. By consolidating records of crimes and criminals and connecting all police stations in the country, this project has simplified crime investigation for the police.
In this column, I will also explain how Karnataka and other states have not just viewed this project as a piece of technology, but have expanded it to meet the specific needs of the local public, lawyers, and the police themselves.
A Modern Solution to an Age-Old Problem: Why Was CCTNS Needed?
Just a few years ago, if you went to a police station to file a complaint, everything was recorded by hand in registers. FIRs, details of criminals, and case proceedings were all in the form of paper documents. This information, limited to one police station, was not easily accessible to police in another district or state.
If a criminal in a murder or robbery case was hiding in another state, it could take months to get their past criminal records. This reduced the efficiency of the police and slowed down investigations. To find a permanent solution to this, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs launched the CCTNS project in 2009.
The primary objective was to bring all of the country’s over 15,000 police stations and the offices of more than 5,000 senior officers under a single digital network. The core idea was to make information registered at any single station instantly available to police across the entire country. The impetus for its implementation came from the recommendations of a committee formed after the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks to devise strategies to prevent such incidents in the future.
Key Features of CCTNS and How They Work :-
CCTNS offers several benefits to the common citizen. Some of the main features are:
- Online FIR Filing/Verification: You no longer need to go to a police station to file a complaint. You can register and check your complaint or FIR through an online portal. This not only saves time but also helps complainants avoid unnecessary running around.
- Case Status Check: You can check the status of your complaint online. This makes it easy to know the stage of the investigation.
- Centralized Criminal Database: This is the real strength of CCTNS. It stores crucial information like criminals’ names, their criminal history, photographs, and fingerprints. This data is accessible to all police forces in the country.
- Police Verification Services: Applying for services like passport verification, servant or tenant verification, and Character Certificates has become much simpler. When you apply for these services, the police verification is done through CCTNS, which helps avoid unnecessary delays.
- Lost Articles Report: If you lose your mobile phone, documents, or other items, you can file a complaint online. Since this report is digitally registered, there is a higher chance of recovering the lost item.
Customizations of CCTNS :-
In Karnataka :
- e-Beat System: Beat police are provided with smartphones, allowing them to digitally record the locations they patrol and the duties they perform.
- Suraksha App: Designed for women’s safety, this mobile application sends the user’s location to the CCTNS system with the press of a single button in an emergency, instantly alerting the nearest police.
- Online Police Clearance Certificate: A facility has been introduced to apply online for a Police Clearance Certificate, which is required for purposes like passports, employment, or foreign travel.
- Online Verification of Tenants and Employees: To prevent crimes, a system allows for the online background verification of tenants and domestic help through CCTNS.
- Digital Reporting of Lost Items: A system is in place to file an online report for lost items like mobiles or documents without having to visit a police station.
In Other States :
- Gujarat – Digital Diary: Gujarat Police have adopted a “Digital Diary” system to record their daily activities and events, replacing paper records.
- Maharashtra – Mobile Data Terminals: Police vehicles are equipped with Mobile Data Terminals that have a direct connection to the CCTNS database. This allows patrolling officers to instantly check details of criminals, vehicles, and past crime records from any location.
- Himachal Pradesh – Services for Tourists: The CCTNS system helps tourists report lost items and get emergency information.
- Jharkhand – Criminal Profile Search: CCTNS provides an advanced profile search system to search for criminals based on their modus operandi, history, and fingerprints.
- Odisha – Online Vehicle Theft Reporting: When a vehicle theft complaint is filed online, it is immediately added to CCTNS, and an alert is sent to all police stations across the state, increasing the chances of tracing the vehicle.
The Future of CCTNS for a Safer India :-
CCTNS is just the beginning. The ultimate goal is to digitize India’s entire law and justice system. In the coming days, there are plans to connect the CCTNS system with e-Courts and e-Prisons. This means that as soon as an FIR is filed, it will be directly sent to the court’s system. Similarly, court judgments will be sent directly to the prison system. This will make the entire judicial process transparent and fast.
Ultimately, CCTNS is not just a technology for the police. It is a citizen-friendly initiative that works as a bridge between the public and the legal system. Thanks to projects like CCTNS, the Indian police system is slowly moving out of the era of paperwork and transforming into a smart, technology-driven system. This is a firm step towards building a safe and secure India.