Birbhum district police has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered mobile application designed for investigating officers to minimise the time spent on legal and procedural research during their probe.

The mobile application has been named Samarth. It is accessible only to authorised users.

“The AI-powered mobile application has been developed and rolled out to empower investigating officers and senior officers in their day-to-day duties. The application will serve as a tool to provide instant, accurate and comprehensive legal and procedural guidance for officers during any investigation,” said Birbhum police chief Amandeep.

The AI-powered application is trained on the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), as well as other minor Acts.

It is also supported by a wide range of judgments, legal texts and references that can be easily accessed.

“For instance, if a police officer asks Samarth’s chatbox about a cyber fraud case, it will immediately guide him or her on the steps to be taken — from lodging the FIR, to identifying the required evidence, and how to proceed with the investigation. It will save officers time on basic research,” said a senior police officer.

Since investigations are confidential, officers have been instructed not to enter details such as names, locations or any information that could reveal case particulars.

“However, even if someone mistakenly enters such details, there will be no problem as no search data will be stored,” said another police officer.

“We have also advised officers to consult their seniors before acting on any AI-based suggestion to avoid mistakes,” the officer added.

A Birbhum police officer said a team led by SP Amandeep and Bolpur SDPO Rickey Agarwal had been working over the past few months to design the AI-powered application in collaboration with a Pune-based tech organisation.

Investigating officers, sub-inspectors and inspectors have been given access to the mobile application.

A senior IPS officer, however, warned against overdependence on AI as each police case was unique. “Cops can use the app for basic research material to understand a case, but must carefully investigate each case independently. Police investigations do not follow a fixed structure; they vary from place to place and case to case,” he said.