Centre to give private companies, PSUs access to crime database for 'background check': Report

The govt has decided to monetise the data collected over time, which means the companies will be charged for the access of such data, as per sources

In a controversial move, the Centre has decided to provide access to the national database of crimes and criminals to private companies and public sector undertakings (PSUs) for background checks, according to a Hindustan Times report citing sources.

Currently, the companies are required to make requests with the police for access to such data.

The government has decided to monetise the data collected over time, which means the companies will be charged for access, sources told the publication.

However, internet activists have disapproved the third-party access claiming that it will lead to misuse of data, and also lead to discrimination.

Firms that decide to subscribe to the service will have access to arrests, convictions, ongoing investigations, court cases, and lists of proclaimed offenders, all of which can be used to assess the background of any person across India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the process of monetising the Crime & Criminals Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS) national data centre, also called the CAS (Core Application Software) Centre. The fee amount is yet to be decided, sources said.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has been directed to develop a portal for the same.

“The system will match the given details of persons such as name, age/age range, state, district and police station of his current and permanent address, with existing criminal records under CCTNS. If a person’s name is found in the data, the user will be able to check the details, down to the level of the FIR, in the case of police cases. However, if the person’s name is not there in the database, it will show ‘no criminal record found’," a source was quoted in the report.

The CCTNS, which is connected with police stations and investigation agencies from all over the country, collects real-time information on cases, criminals, courts, fingerprint bureaus, forensic labs etc. It may also include vehicle registration details, photographs and even screenshots in some cases, the report claims.

About 97% (15,620) of the 16,098 police stations are connected to the network.

Ish Kumar, former director of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), told the publication that the current process for providing access to the comprehensive data is "cumbersome" and the move will help private companies get information and that government can also make "some money".

Whether some person can be disqualified after a background check depends on the "policy of the company", Kumar confirmed.

MHA officials declined to comment.

DH could not independently verify the report.