New Delhi [India], April 21 : Chief Justice of India Surya Kant paid tribute to the legacy of DP Kohli, describing him as a visionary who laid the foundation of India's premier investigative agency in the 22nd DP Kohli Memorial Lecture at Bharat Mandapam on Monday.
DP Kohli became the founding Director of CBI upon its establishment on 1st April 1963, serving until his retirement in 1968.
Addressing the gathering, he said, "It is both my proud privilege and profound pleasure to pay tribute to a visionary public servant, a man whose ethos and pacificacity shaped the very foundations of our nation's premier investigating agency... He was not merely an administrator. He was an institution and an institutional titan."
Highlighting Kohli's approach to institution-building, the CJI stated, "At a time when India was still shaping its governance structure, he spearheaded an investigating body that would be defined not by power but by credibility. His philosophy was simple, yet revelatory, that the legitimacy of an institution rests not in the authority it wields, but in the trust it inspires."
He further underscored the principles guiding the agency's formation.
"Under his stewardship, the foundations of CBI were laid with an emphasis on professionalism, independence and integrity... He understood that in a democratic society, the investigative process must command public confidence and that confidence must be earned through consistency, impartiality, and competence..."
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant further said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has evolved into an institution of national significance, handling complex and sensitive cases under intense public scrutiny. He noted that the agency plays a unique role at the intersection of law enforcement, governance, and accountability, with a mandate covering corruption, economic offences, and serious crimes, while navigating legal challenges and institutional expectations.
"Over the decades, the CBI has grown into an institution of National significance. It has handled some of the most complex and sensitive investigations in the country, often under intense public scrutiny. Its work has not only shaped legal outcomes but has also influenced public perceptions of justice. In that sense, CBI occupies a unique position in India's investigative framework. It operates at the intersection of law enforcement, governance, and public accountability. Its mandate spans corruption, economic offences, and serious crimes with national and international dimensions. In each of these domains, it has been called upon to navigate not just legal complexities, but also institutional expectations," he said.
CJI Surya Kant also highlighted a key challenge in tackling cybercrime, noting that while offenders operate in an integrated manner, the institutional response often remains fragmented.
He said the cybercrime response ecosystem involves multiple stakeholders, including banks and financial institutions, telecom and internet service providers, social media platforms, and law enforcement agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, which handle complex investigations.
"One of the most striking paradoxes in the fight against cybercrime is this: while the perpetrators operate as integrated enterprises, the institutional response often remains fragmented and sequential..The ecosystem involved in responding to cybercrime is vast and complex. Banks and Financial Institutions act as custodians of transactional integrity. Telecommunications providers and Internet Service Platforms serve as conduits of communication. Social Media Platforms facilitate interaction at scale. Law enforcement agencies such as the CBI investigate and undertake complex, multi-layered inquiries," he added.
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