CBI to launch AI chatbot 'Abhay' against digital arrest scams

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will unveil an AI-powered chatbot, 'Abhay', on Monday to help citizens verify the authenticity of agency notices amid rising digital arrest frauds.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will launch the tool during the 22nd D P Kohli Memorial Lecture, organised by the CBI in honour of its founding director. He will speak on 'Challenges of Cyber Crime - Role for Police and Judiciary' and confer 24 Medals for Meritorious Service.

"The AI-powered notice verification chatbot, ABHAY, will allow the public to verify the genuineness of a notice purportedly issued by the CBI," a spokesperson said. "In the context of digital arrest frauds, this provides a much-required tool for the citizens."

Scammers posing as CBI officials have used fake notices to coerce victims into "digital arrests", extorting crores of rupees in non-existent cases. The Supreme Court recently highlighted Rs 54,000 crore siphoned in cyber scams, calling it "robbery or dacoity".

The annual lecture, held since 2000, features eminent speakers on law enforcement and justice. D P Kohli (1907–1968) led the Delhi Special Police Establishment from 1955 and founded the CBI in 1963.