Maharashtra first state to use global system AMBIS for crime investigation

Mumbai, July 29, 2019 : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today inaugurated the ‘AMBIS’ system that can collect humongous demographic and biometric data of criminals including finger and palm prints, IRIS & face recognition which can be stored in the system. The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction as the state becomes the first in the country to use such a global system for crime investigation.

This system would be useful in quickly providing the information about the criminals and to increase the percentage of convictions. Making qualitative change in crime investigation visible, this ‘AMBIS’ system will prove most important from detection of crime to conviction of criminals, the Chief Minister said exuding confidence.

This program was held at Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office. On this occasion the Chief Minister inaugurated J S Bharucha Auditorium, launched the waste-free initiative and inaugurated the “Rakshak Hain Hum” drive of the Mumbai Police.

MoS Home Dipak Kesarkar, Additional Principal Secretary of Home Department Sanjay Kumar, BMC Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve, Managing Director of Police Housing Board Bipin Bihari, and Special IGP of Maharashtra Cyber Brijesh Singh were conspicuous by their presence on the occasion.

Chief Minister praised the Maharashtra Cyber for its initiative in starting this ‘AMBIS’ system. Dedicating this system, the Chief Minister said that availability of new technology platforms has helped maintain law and order in a best possible way. This Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) will be beneficial in storing data of finger and palm prints, face and IRIS recognition of the criminals and accelerating the investigation in criminal cases. Chief Minister Fadnavis expressed confidence that this will keep a watch on the criminals also.

With modernization, the police have started digitally storing data of the criminals by scanning their finger prints, palm prints, faces and eyes and the old system of obtaining finger prints has been replaced. This digital data will be useful in identification of criminals and tracing them. Thus, ‘AMBIS’ can be described as ‘Google’ for police force as it provides information of criminals in just one click.

The use of CCTV, CCTNS and AMBIS systems have been put to use and with that percentage of immediate arrest of the criminals, and their conviction rate has also gone up. It is possible to keep an eye on every part of the Mumbai city due to the CCTV system. This has helped in taking necessary measures in times of distress caused by heavy rains, or regulating transport during festivals etc, the Chief Minister said.

Mumbai Police and BMC have jointly launched the “Waste-free Mumbai” campaign. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has sown how better performance can be achieved due to collective energy of people, society, and administration, the Chief Minister said. The campaign to make Mumbai free of waste, the habits of the people need to be changed while cleaning the nullahs, sewage drains etc. to make outer and inner Mumbai clean and maintain the clean surrounding and atmosphere, the Chief Minister said while giving best compliments to this initiative.

Launching the Mumbai police’s “Rakshak Hain Hum” special campaign, the Chief Minister said that while generating faith in the people they should treat police as their friends and urged the police to create such an atmosphere.

The Chief Minister unveiled the documentary of “Rakshak Hain Hum” and Awareness Poster, BMC Commissioner Sri Pardeshi and Mumbai Police Commissioner Sri Barve spoke on this occasion. The coming together of BMC and Mumbai Police through this campaign the city will be cleaned while crime graph will come down uplifting the life standard of the citizens, they said.

Special IGP of Maharashtra Cyber Brijesh Singh said that AMBIS system is the first of its kind in the country which will provide all the information of the criminals. This system is being implemented in 94 police stations in Mumbai as a pilot project. Over 200 police personnel of Mumbai Police have been trained in handling this system, he added.

The Chief Minister felicitated PI Avinash Sarveer, Rupali Gaikwad, Suresh Magdun, ASI Prasad Joshi, Ulhas Bhatle, Sandip Jadhav for their commendable work for this AMBIS system. Similarly, Coordinating Officer for ‘Waste Free Mumbai’ campaign Subhash Dalvi, and BMC Jt. Commissioner Ashok Khaire were also honored by the Chief Minister.

Features of AMBIS system

The State Police Force is adopting new and modern methods giving up the old and traditional ones. Thus, obtaining finger prints of the criminals has given way to new system of scanning the finger prints, palm prints, faces and eyes of the criminals and store this information in a digital way. For this the cops have developed and adopted the Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS). Under this project, the necessary hardware and software are provided in the police stations and this will be connected to the main database.

· Maharashtra is the first state in the country to use AMBIS system rated best globally.

· Helping tracing criminals by using scanned data of finger prints, palm prints, eyes (iris) and face.

· This facility will be available at 1160 police stations in 42 units

· 2600 cops to be trained in operating this system

· All information of criminal available at one click

· Portable AMBIS will be able to collect chance prints at the scene of the crime

· Connected to CCTNS and CCTV

· Old 6.5 lakh physical finger prints stored digitally in new system

· 1435 chance prints of Mumbai bureau have been digitized.

· 118 chance prints related to 85 criminal cases on first day

The Cyber Department has been entrusted the responsibility to implement AMBIS system and hand over it to the police force. Technical representatives, local police station officers and IIT experts have extended their cooperation to IDEMIA Company for developing AMBIS system. Price Water House Coopers Company has worked as Project Management Consultant (Advisor) for this project.