As it has become clear that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay, the Maharashtra government has decided to enlist the help of a new company, Maharashtra State Law Enforcement Enhancement Research and Monitoring (MARVEL), to effectively leverage this powerful tool to solve crimes.
MARVEL was created to strengthen intelligence capabilities, improve crime prediction, and empower state police to use AI for more effective law enforcement, making Maharashtra the first state in India to set up an independent agency for AI in law enforcement.
What is MARVEL?
MARVEL, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) wholly owned by the Government of Maharashtra, was set up in collaboration with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur. The Government of Maharashtra, IIM Nagpur and Chennai-based Pinaka Technologies entered into a tripartite agreement on March 22 this year and the company was registered under the Companies Act, 2013.
“We are actively trying to use AI in crime investigations. MARVEL is a platform where we are creating various modules to support crime investigations. Any force can send a case to MARVEL for technical assistance. For example, if a vehicle involved in a crime needs to be tracked using standard CCTV camera footage and the registration number has been recorded, this footage can be sent to MARVEL. The platform will use AI to analyse the data and help in identifying and arresting suspects. This is a simple example. There are multiple complex applications, including data mining,” Deputy Chief Minister and state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis told The Indian Express. The company will come under the state home department, he added.
Principal Secretary Sujata Saunik told The Indian Express that Marvel can be used by any department in the Maharashtra Home Department, highlighting its potential to process large data sets and its ability to narrow police investigations by locating perpetrators and identifying crime scenes, leading to specific investigations.
This initiative marks the first formal deployment of AI within a state police force. MARVEL is currently only available to departments across Maharashtra, who must submit a problem statement to receive an AI solution tailored to their case.
AI to power data
“AI can process huge amounts of data and use it to train digital algorithms, which is not only needed for predictive analysis but can also provide solutions where human presence may be required,” said Harsh Poddar, Inspector General of Police, Nagpur, who is also ex-officio director of the company and CEO of the SPV.
Poddar explained that with organized crime generating huge amounts of data, MARVEL will use AI algorithms to analyze, visualize and alert key actors, enabling police to take action. These AI algorithms will make sense of the data and help solve cyber and financial fraud cases.
“There are two approaches to product development,” Poddar explains. “One option is for MARVEL to host and operate the platform in-house. The other option is for MARVEL to hand over the platform to each government department and MARVEL to provide support and train the personnel in the department. The decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis. If training is required, it can be done at the IIM Nagpur campus.”
The Maharashtra government owns 100% of the company and will pay the money in instalments over five years. The first instalment of Rs 4.2 crore was paid recently.
Pinaca Technologies is MARVEL's technology partner. The company has created the AI algorithms and the copyright is held by MARVEL. Ten generic products are already available for deployment and the government will soon issue instructions for their use. The AI tools developed by MARVEL will enable analysis of more data dimensions with less human effort, thus assisting cyber cells wherever necessary.
MARVEL is an entity that will be commercialised in due course. Once commercialised, it will need a business model, for which IIM Nagpur will provide resources, training and AI expertise. Vimalaya Metri, director, IIM Nagpur, said the campus will provide research and development support to MARVEL, positioning Maharashtra as a pioneering state for AI research initiatives.
© Indian Express Ltd.
First uploaded: July 18, 2024 10:44 AM
