June 19, 2026, (Inside AI) — India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced a three-year target for completing the criminal justice process, from FIR registration to conviction, at the 26th All India Fingerprint Conference in New Delhi. He launched four NCRB applications to speed case disposal.
The Three-Year Justice Mandate
Shah declared that the government aims to wrap up the entire criminal justice cycle within three years. He claimed India has neared this goal over the past seven years. The new tools—NCRB-Abhigyan, CrPI, e-Prosecution 2.0, and e-Forensics 2.0—are designed to slash pendency.
He stressed that technology and scientific evidence are now central to reforms. The shift moves policing from force-based models to evidence-driven investigations. This echoes global trends but faces unique scale challenges in India’s overburdened system.
AI’s Role in Predictive Policing
Shah outlined a predictive policing framework using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and pattern analysis. The goal is to identify repeat offenders and interstate networks before crimes occur. This pre-crime approach raises both promise and peril.
Read: NHAI Deploys In-House AI to Flag Highway Project Faults and Road Defects
Databases hold 1.29 crore fingerprint records, nearly 10 lakh narcotics offenders’ records, and 3.65 lakh human trafficking records. Advanced analytics will turn these into actionable intelligence. The CCTNS now spans all 17,840 police stations with 37.68 crore digital records.
Shah urged states to form specialized AI teams for crime pattern analysis. He also called for strong cybersecurity and regular audits to protect sensitive data. Critics warn that predictive models can amplify biases if trained on flawed historical data.
Scientific Evidence Takes Center Stage
Fingerprints remain a cornerstone. Shah pushed states to bolster the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) by uploading crime-scene prints. He stated:
“No matter how cunning a criminal may be, he cannot escape the combined power of law and science.”
This emphasis on forensics aligns with global best practices. Yet India’s forensic infrastructure faces backlogs and quality control issues. Without parallel investment in labs and training, technology alone may not deliver timely justice.
Judicial Coordination and Evening Courts
The government is working with the Supreme Court and High Courts to reduce case pendency. Plans include establishing evening courts and clearing higher court backlogs. These measures target the judicial bottleneck that often delays convictions for years.
Read: UN Digital Tech Agency Launches Initiative to Improve Trust in AI Agents
Shah’s three-year timeline is ambitious. The average life of a criminal case in India far exceeds that. Success hinges on seamless integration of new apps, judicial cooperation, and addressing systemic delays beyond technology.
