D P Kohli Award to be given on April 15

New Delhi, April14, 2014: Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the internationally renowned Scholar Statesman and Chairman, Governing Body, IIAS, Shimla will deliver the 15th D.P.Kohli Memorial Lecture on April 15 on the subject “Eclipse at Noon: Shadows over India’s Conscience”. This will also mark the formal closing of the CBI’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations. The D.P.Kohli Award for the Best Detective Head Constable/Constable will also be given on this day'

The prestigious D.P.Kohli Memorial lecture is organized annually by the CBI in the honour of its founder Director. Late D.P.Kohli was the Head of Special Police Establishment and Central Bureau of Investigation from 1955 to 1968. During the tenure of  Kohli, CBI was put on a firm footing by extending its activities and converting it into an efficient instrument of crime investigation.  Kohli was a visionary who sowed the seeds for the evolution of CBI into an effective and vibrant organization.  It was on account of his vision that CBI today enjoys the reputation of professionalism and fairness and has the confidence of all sections of society.

The Central Bureau of Investigation was established by a Government of India resolution dated 1st April, 1963 after a growing need was felt for a Central Police Agency which could investigate not only cases of bribery and corruption, but also violation of Central fiscal laws, major frauds relating to Government of India departments, public joint stock companies, passport frauds, crimes on the high seas, crimes on the Airlines and serious crimes committed by organized gangs and professional criminals.  This Investigation & Anti Corruption Division continued to derive its jurisdiction and powers from DSPE Act, 1946.

CBI was further strengthened by addition of an Economic Offences Wing by a Government of India Resolution dated February 29, 1964. In September, 1964, a Food Offences Wing was formed to collect intelligence regarding hoarding, black marketing, smuggling and profiteering in food grains and take up such cases having inter-state ramifications in view of the situation prevailing at that time.  It was merged in the Economic Offences for CBI to take up investigation in crimes like assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, crimes committed by extremists, violation of Official Secrets Act, large scale Bank and Insurance Frauds, and, others specific cases like Bhagalpur Blinding, Bhopal Gas Tragedy etc.

Since Constitutional courts also started referring cases to CBI for enquiry/investigation on the basis of petitions filed by the aggrieved persons in cases of murders, dowry deaths, rape etc., it was decided in 1987 to have two investigation Divisions in CBI, namely Anti Corruption Division and Special Crimes Division, the latter dealing with cases of conventional crimes as well as economic offences.

Pursuant to the direction of Supreme Court, the existing Legal Division was reconstituted as the Directorate of Prosecution in July 2001. A new Zone, namely “Technical Forensic & Coordination” (TFC) was created at CBI Headquarters, New Delhi in 2010. As on date, offences under 74 existing Central and 19 State Acts, 243 offences under the Indian Penal Code have been notified by the Central Government under section 3 of the DSPE Act.

In the last more than five decades, the Central Bureau of Investigation has evolved from an anti corruption agency to a multi faceted, multi disciplinary central police law enforcement agency and emerged as a premier investigating agency of the country which enjoys the trust of the People, Judiciary, Government and Parliament.