AI in policing may lead to targeting marginalised neighbourhoods: CJI DY Chandrachud
Bengaluru: Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has cautioned against the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the criminal justice system, highlighting the risk of systemic biases being perpetuated through data used to train these technologies. Delivering the keynote address at the 11th Annual Conference of the Berkeley Centre for Comparative Equality and Antidiscrimination Law, organized by the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, the CJI emphasized the potential for AI to disproportionately target marginalized communities.
CJI Chandrachud explained that if historical crime data used for AI algorithms reflect existing biases or systemic inequalities, these algorithms may continue to identify the same marginalized neighbourhoods as "high-risk" areas. "This can result in disproportionate surveillance and policing of already marginalized communities, exacerbating social inequalities and perpetuating cycles of discrimination," he stated.
The Chief Justice also pointed out the opacity of predictive policing algorithms, which often function as black boxes with non-transparent internal workings. He stressed the importance of "contextualization" in addressing AI challenges in India, given the country's diverse demographic patterns characterized by linguistic diversity, regional variations, and cultural nuances.
"We need to be vigilant about the origins of data and its potential biases, scrutinize the algorithms we employ for transparency and fairness, and actively seek to mitigate any unintended discriminatory effects," CJI Chandrachud urged, advocating for ethical and equitable engagement with AI.
Addressing broader issues of inequality, CJI Chandrachud linked climate change to social inequities, noting that marginalized groups such as women, children, disabled individuals, and indigenous people face heightened risks. He pointed out that wealthier individuals often have the means to protect themselves against climate impacts, while poorer communities are more vulnerable due to a lack of resources.
"Inequality thus becomes both a cause and consequence of climate change," he remarked, emphasizing the need for climate justice that recognizes differential impacts and involves affected communities in decision-making processes.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
