The Delhi High Court has sought clarification on whether the Delhi Police can deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to track missing individuals. The query arose in response to a petition filed under Article 226 by a man seeking the production of his elderly father, who has been untraceable since February 17, 2023.

Despite fulfilling all procedural requirements, including uploading the missing person’s photographs on the ZIPNET portal, authorities have been unable to locate him. A status report submitted on February 17, 2025, confirmed that investigative efforts had not yielded any results.

Taking note of this, the court directed the State to file a short affidavit clarifying whether the Delhi Police had utilized any AI-based software or had the capability to do so in such cases. The bench particularly focused on whether AI tools could assist in locating individuals who may have disappeared due to medical conditions affecting their stability.

During the proceedings, Standing Counsel Sanjay Lao informed the court that the Crime Branch had access to AI-based tracking tools. Accordingly, the court instructed the Crime Branch to actively utilize these resources to trace the petitioner’s father and submit a fresh status report.

The matter is now scheduled for its next hearing on March 18, 2025.

Case Details:

• Case Title: Dil Khush Bairwa v Govt Of NCT (W.P.(CRL) 547/2025)
• For Petitioner: Advocates Ahsan Sanjar, Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, Nitin Kumar Natak, Renu, and Arpita
• For Respondent: Standing Counsel Sanjay Lao with Advocates Priyam Agarwal and Abhinav Kr. Arya