Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday stressed the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to turn data into intelligence and called for the information to be used to study crime patterns and identify repeat offenders and international criminals. He said active use of technology should be ensured throughout the investigation, prosecution and conviction chain.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the All India Fingerprint Conference-2026 organized by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) here, Mr. Shah stressed on the need to not only use the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) to identify criminals but also strengthen the database by adding fingerprints collected from crime scenes.
“There are many cases like this where NAFIS has greatly helped simplify even the most complex cases. But I still believe that NAFIS is used in only 10 percent of cases.” Every state needs a team that uses AI and ML to study crime patterns and identify repeat offenders. “Profiling and measures to prevent criminals from taking advantage of jurisdictional gaps between different states are also needed,” he added.
He said our system needs serious review to ensure accountability in the event of an attempt to disrupt public order. The Union Minister also stressed the need to combat cybercrime, encourage third-party audits and strongly check abuse of power.
“NAFIS should not be used only to detect criminals. It can be successful only if NAFIS data is enriched through fingerprints obtained from every crime scene,” the Home Minister said. Shah said that while NAFIS is an interactive system that is very helpful in proving culprits, crimes can only be proven if data is generated.
“Our country is going through a period of change when it comes to the criminal justice system. In the past, police stations were considered tools to maintain law and order. If there was a dispute somewhere, the police station personnel would resolve the issue, but otherwise it would go to court and the case would remain pending for years,” he said.
Union Minister Shah said, “Today, our country is undergoing a transformation as far as the criminal justice system is concerned. There was a time when police stations and law and order were considered the main means of maintaining peace. If there was a dispute, the station in charge would immediately resolve it. Otherwise, a case would be filed and the matter would remain unresolved for a year,” he said, also highlighting the features of the new criminal law that replaced archaic provisions.
