India and United Kingdom had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018 for sharing criminal record.
- Now, after years, India is deliberating the scope of criminal records to be shared with the UK. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is examining the format under which criminal records could be exchanged.
Concerns
- The information exchange would include sharing criminal records information, fingerprints, and intelligence.
- The Home Ministry has asked law enforcement agencies and State Police for their views.
- Sharing biometrics of accused or convicted persons with foreign countries may have legal ramifications as it could be challenged on grounds of breach of privacy.
- In 2017, the Right to Privacy was declared a fundamental right under Article 21 by the Supreme Court.
- The Home Ministry is examining if the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) chargesheets and investigation reports, could be used to cull out the required details.
- In 2016, India had refused to join a U.S.-led global terror database, the Terrorist Screening Centre (TCS), in the face of objections from the intelligence agencies.
About CCTNS
- The CCTNS is India’s centralised online database of first information reports (FIR).
- It is a platform that links around 16,000 police stations across the country.
- All State police are mandated to file FIRs in the CCTNS module.
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