TN Police granted nod for air travel to expedite interstate investigations

CHENNAI: In a move to combat the rising challenge of interstate and cyber related crimes, the Tamil Nadu government has empowered its police force to use air travel for urgent investigations outside the state.

The decision, announced in an official government order issued on Monday, comes in direct response to a request from the Director General of Police (DGP)/Head of Police Force. The order delegates powers to the DGP to permit investigating officers and their teams to travel by flight to other states on a case-by-case basis.

The government's rationale, as detailed in the order, highlights the evolving nature of crime. It states that modern communication technology and transportation have enabled criminals involved in burglaries, snatchings, and, most notably, sophisticated cyber financial frauds, to operate from other states and swiftly flee after committing crimes in Tamil Nadu.

"The culprits siphon off the money through layering of bank accounts within 24 to 48 hours. In order to recover the money and detect the case, the Investigating Officer has to travel to other States immediately," the order noted, emphasizing the critical importance of time in such sensitive cases.

Previously, police personnel were restricted to travel by train based on their pay grade, with those in higher grades eligible for first-class travel and others for second-class. This often caused "inordinate delay in urgent situations and sensitive cases where swift action is warranted," the DGP had argued.

The new policy is expected to significantly reduce travel time, allowing teams to apprehend suspects and seize case properties before evidence is destroyed or funds are irrecoverably lost. This is particularly crucial for tackling investment frauds, digital arrest scams, and other cybercrimes that have been growing "exponentially every year."