On July 7, Delhi Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were ordered by the Delhi High Court to set up a special cell within four weeks to locate reported offenders. They were asked to set up a “Digital Surveillance System” with “View only” access to view digital data from various government departments, telecom companies and banks.

“Delhi Police as well as the CBI will create a special cell to locate persons / alleged offenders; to tie up their movable / immovable property and for their protection. Delhi Police, as well as the CBI, are free to have a cell. Special Consolidated Special Unit to be created within four weeks, “Delhi HC led.

Judge JR Midha, in the judgment, established comprehensive guidelines on how to declare people who flee the laws as “declared offenders” under article 82 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC); the court order ensures that people are not reported so casually and suggests ways to help locate reported offenders.

Social media portals to track reported offenders

The 185-page judgment also ordered the Delhi Police and CBI digital surveillance team to keep tabs on social media websites, namely Facebook and Twitter, to track those found to be offenders. Agencies were allowed to collect photographs, mobile or landline numbers, email IDs, details of social media accounts and copies of at least two identity documents such as Aadhar card, passport , PAN card and driver’s license at the time of arrest or soon. after.

Once access is granted, there is software that can act as web crawlers and search for reported people / offenders in large databases. The threat perception of these people / offenders declared fearlessly wandering Delhi is extremely serious, ”the judgment of Judge Midha reads.

Article 82 of the CrPC stipulates that the court may issue a written proclamation requiring that a person appear before it at a specific place and date if it has reason to believe that the person against whom an (arrest) warrant has been issued either fled or went into hiding to prevent the execution of the warrant.

The court has adopted guidelines for declaring an escaped defendant a declared offender. According to the Order of Delhi HC, it is imperative to ensure that due process prescribed by law is followed and that Articles 82 and 83 are not systematically published.

While the tribunal also consolidated a high-level committee to lead the implementation of the guidelines, Delhi HC estimated that the number of people proclaimed in the nation’s capital increased from 13,500 in 2010 to 28,000 in 2021. By Consequently, the constitution of a dedicated cell was necessary. for digital tracking and their arrest too.