Supreme Court Backs Preventive Detention Of Cyber Criminals. What It Means
Amid growing cyber threats across the country, the Tamil Nadu government adopted a strong approach by detaining cybercriminals under preventive detention laws. The move received appreciation from the Supreme Court, which said such measures were necessary to tackle surging financial frauds, adding traditional criminal laws were not enough to deal with this new-age threat.
A bench of justices Sandeep Mehta and Joymalya Bagchi said, "It is a good trend coming from the state to use preventive detention laws against cyber offenders. It is a very welcome approach," as per Live Law.
What Are Preventive Detention Laws?
Preventive detention laws permit authorities to hold people without conviction or trial if they are suspected of committing a crime or engaging in an action that could endanger public safety or national security. The purpose of these laws is to prevent potential crimes.
Articles 22(3) to 22(7) of the Indian Constitution allow the government to detain an individual without trial if it believes they are a threat to national security or public order. The detained person is kept in police custody, for not more than three months, on the basis that they might commit a crime in the near future.
What Did The Supreme Court Say?
The Supreme Court pointed out that traditional laws, where police usually file an FIR, investigate, make arrests, and wait for a court trial, take time. During this delay, cybercriminals often escape and repeat their offences. This recurring crime was affecting the whole economy.
The two-judge bench said, "Normal criminal laws are not proving successful against these offenders." It said that such strong measures were needed as cybercrimes were rising at an alarming rate in the country, making people emotionally and financially broken.
What Happened In Tamil Nadu?
Tamil Nadu detained Abhijeet Singh under the Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982, also known as the Goonda Act. Singh allegedly duped a woman of Rs 84.5 lakh in a cyber fraud and invested over Rs 12 lakh in companies in his and his family's names, as per India Legal.
The state government informed the court that the cybercrime was taking a toll on the economy. During the investigation, they found Rs 44,000 in cash, over 100 credit and debit cards, five mobile phones, and 27 bank accounts, out of which 17 were already used in similar frauds across the country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
30 minutes ago
- Hans India
How AI-powered data center revolution will transform India's economy
Withover 1.4 billion people, India has a massive user base for internet services, social media, e-commerce and digital payments. This surge in data has necessitated India's rapid emergence as a global hub for data centers and Artificial Intelligence (AI), with unprecedented investments flowing from both government initiatives and private sector commitments. This transformation goes beyond traditional data storage - we're witnessing the evolution of data centers into 'AI factories', specialized facilities designed to handle the massive computational demands of artificial intelligence. The AI-powered data center segment is propelled by the increasing adoption of AI technologies, the expansion of Cloud Service Providers (CSPs), and the explosive growth of AI workloads that require fundamentally different infrastructure than traditional computing. Unlike conventional data centers that consume 10-20 kW per rack, AI-powered facilities demand 40-140 kW per rack, with some advanced deployments reaching up to 200 kW. This exponential increase necessitates a complete reimagining of data center design, cooling systems, and power infrastructure. Indian govt's AI vision drives infra revolution The Indian government has been instrumental in promoting the growth of AI-ready data centers through ambitious initiatives. The landmark IndiaAI Mission, with an allocation of Rs 10,732 crore ($1.24 billion), specifically targets AI infrastructure development. This builds upon existing programs like the Digital India campaign, which aims to enhance digital infrastructure and connectivity across the country. Policies such as the Data Protection Bill and the push for data localization have further fueled demand for local AI-capable data centers. The state governments are also leading the charge with dedicated AI data center policies. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have introduced specialized frameworks, offering subsidized land, tax benefits, and streamlined approvals for AI infrastructure projects. The central government's Viksit Bharat 2047 - aimed at making India a $30 trillion economy—places AI and data centers at the core of the nation's digital transformation strategy. Technical revolution: From storage to AI computing With India's transformation from an emerging market to a developed economy, there will be an optimal environment for AI-powered data centers, creating considerable demand for specialized real estate in this sector. The country's growing AI-ready data center capacity ensures robust infrastructure to support global digital transformation efforts powered by artificial intelligence. However, the technical requirements for AI have fundamentally altered data center architecture. Currently, India ranks 13th in the world in the data center market with around 140-150 data centers, but has the potential to become number one as AI drives exponential infrastructure demand. As of now, India has relatively few large-scale data centers compared to global leaders. However, this apparent disadvantage actually presents a significant strategic opportunity. While other regions, particularly the United States, are burdened with legacy infrastructure, India can leapfrog directly to next-generation systems with an AI edge. Economic transformation through AI infra India's economic growth has been bolstered by a surge in digital adoption across industries, which translates to massive AI-driven data consumption. With strong foreign exchange reserves exceeding USD 697.93 billion (as of June 20, 2025) and increased government spending on infrastructure, India's Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) reached a historic high of 34.1 percent of GDP in FY24. This economic growth underscores the increasing reliance of businesses on AI solutions and the critical need for robust AI-capable data center infrastructure. Consequently, the data center market in India is projected to reach USD 21.87 billion by 2032, up from USD 7.21 billion in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.37 per cent. Crucially, AI workloads are expected to constitute 27 per cent of total data center capacity by 2027, up from just 14 per cent today, driving much of this growth. Investment commitments are also unprecedented, with over $100 billion expected by 2027 for AI-ready data center infrastructure across India. Further, as of today, 95 per cent of India's data centers are installed in metro cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, and Pune. However, the AI revolution presents a unique opportunity for second and third-tier cities like Vizag, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Mysore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Kanpur, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada, Madurai, Hosur, Jhansi, and Nashik to emerge as AI data center hubs. News jobs galore The proposed massive investments for AI-ready data centers are expected to generate a large number of employment opportunities in India in the coming years. Further, the growth of startups, fintech companies, and AI firms requires robust infrastructure that will be fueled by cutting-edge computing, driving the need for real-time data processing and low-latency AI applications. This creates an entirely new employment ecosystem. Industry estimates suggest that the AI data center sector segment in India will generate over 500,000 new jobs by 2030, ranging from high-skilled AI engineers to entry-level data annotators, many benefiting women in rural areas. Additionally, the construction phase of AI-ready data centers will also generate thousands of jobs. So is also the supply chain which includes AI equipment manufacturing and maintenance. Future Outlook: India as an AI superpower The growth of AI-powered data centers across India will bring a transformative experience, positioning the nation as a supercomputing giant and global AI hub. The AI-transformed Bharat has the potential to be the epicenter of not just the data center industry, but the global AI economy. Besides, by promoting AI data center investments in semi-urban areas, state governments can achieve more balanced regional development while positioning India as a global AI leader. This transformation can help reduce economic disparity between urban and rural areas, ensuring that the benefits of AI-powered digital transformation are more evenly distributed across the country. In nutshell, the convergence of data centers and AI isn't just transforming infrastructure - it's reshaping India's destiny in the digital age. (Krishna Kumar is a technology explorer & strategist based in Austin, Texas in the US. Rakshitha Reddy is AI developer based in Atlanta, US)
New Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Confusion prevails over next State Police Chief as LDF govt mulls options beyond UPSC list
Former Director General of Prosecution Asaf Ali termed the move 'foolhardy,' stressing that the state must adhere to the directives laid down by the Supreme Court. 'Nothing is above the Supreme Court verdict which has given proper directions in the Prakash v. Union of India. It clearly states that the state government will go with the three names shortlisted by the UPSC. UPSC selection body chooses the top ranks with the length of service, very good record and range of experience for heading the department. Nobody can violate it and move forward." he added. For the states that have in-charge DGPs, the tenure is two years. And also, why would any government look at other states when already a Supreme Court verdict is clear. It will not stand if legally challenged. For example, in Sen Kumar's case, the state government was not able to violate the law. As in the case of Kerala Police Act, it has been diluted for convenience. In a special circumstance like if UPSC list is late, if other states are choosing in-charge DGP, that should not be the norm. There is a Supreme Court verdict and nothing can't be done above that,' he said.
NDTV
38 minutes ago
- NDTV
Seven Engineers Suspended Over Bhopal Bridge With 90-Degree Turn
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday suspended seven engineers, including two chief engineers of the Public Works Department for the 'faulty design' of the new Rail Over Bridge in Aishbagh area of the city with an unusual 90-degree turn. "I took cognisance of the serious negligence in the construction of Aishbagh ROB and ordered an inquiry. On the basis of the inquiry report, action has been taken against eight PWD engineers," Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on X late in the evening. Seven engineers including two chief engineers were suspended with immediate effect while a departmental inquiry will be conducted against a retired superintendent engineer, he added. The construction agency and design consultant have been blacklisted, and a committee has been formed to make necessary improvements in the ROB, the chief minister said. "The ROB will be inaugurated only after improvements are made," he added. The newly built over-bridge became a subject of criticism and ridicule, with local residents and netizens questioning its design and wondering how vehicles would negotiate the sharp 90-degree turn. The engineers against whom action was taken for the alleged faulty design were chief engineers Sanjay Khande and G P Verma, in-charge executive engineer Javed Shakeel, in-charge sub-divisional officer Ravi Shukla, sub-enginner Umashankar Mishra, assistant engineer Shanul Saxena, in-charge executive engineer Shabana Rajjaq, and retired superintendent engineer M P Singh, said PWD additional chief secretary Neeraj Mandloi. The government also blacklisted architect firm M/s Puneet Chaddha and design consultant M/s Dynamic Consultant, he said. Built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, the ROB was built to improve the connectivity between Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar and the station area with New Bhopal, benefiting some three lakh people. Last week, the PWD formed a committee to find a solution in order to ensure safe movement of vehicles on the bridge. Officials associated with the construction had argued that they had no other option but to build the bridge this way given the paucity of land and presence of a metro rail station nearby. If a little extra land is made available, the 90-degree sharp turn can be converted into a curve, officials had said.
