Mumbai: New web app to tackle cyber-crime
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched the Collaborative Online Investigation Network (www.coin.org.in), a web application developed by the Asian School of Cyber Laws and the Mumbai police to improve the quality of cyber-crime investigations. The launch was part of a two-day national conference on Cyber Crime Control at NSCI in Worli, which Fadnavis inaugurated.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched the Collaborative Online Investigation Network (www.coin.org.in), a web application developed by the Asian School of Cyber Laws and the Mumbai police to improve the quality of cyber-crime investigations. The launch was part of a two-day national conference on Cyber Crime Control at NSCI in Worli, which Fadnavis inaugurated.
COIN is an interactive platform that aims to empower enforcement agencies to tackle cybercrime and other cases involving digital evidence. It allows investigators around the world to collaborate on cases and benefit from each other’s experience.
At the conference, organised by the state home department, the Mumbai police, IIT Bombay and the Asian School of Cyber Laws, Fadnavis said the growing menace of cyber-crime could only be tackled by improving law enforcement and justice delivery systems. “Only by developing digital capabilities can we get to the root of the problem. This is why every government is trying to be digitally capable,” said Fadnavis.
He added, “If we do not match the speed of cyber criminals, we won’t be able to combat them. Now is the time for law enforcement agencies in Maharashtra to develop their digital capabilities.” The police are trying to put together a ‘cyber force’ comprising 1,000 policemen trained to tackle online crimes.
Fadnavis said, “The banking sector is particularly vulnerable to cyber-crime. We are trying to create a cashless society but we need to ensure that society does not [literally] become cashless.”
Police commissioner Rakesh Maria explained the features of COIN. “Cyber-crime requires an entirely different approach. Standardisation is required so that we can incorporate these standards in our training. Our aim is to bring police officers from across the country together so that their awareness of cybercrimes and ability to respond to them are the same,” Maria said. “We hope enforcement agencies from other states also begin using this platform so that we can all benefit,” he added.
Additional chief secretary (home) KP Bakshi told Fadnavis that good progress was being made on the Mumbai CCTV project. He said the first phase, covering the southern part of the city, will be completed 15 days before the deadline.