ACB deploys AI to track benami assets

Issuing a strong warning to corrupt officials, Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Atul Singh said the agency has intensified surveillance on hard-core corruption networks and aims to ensure that offenders are convicted and sent to jail within three years.

Addressing a media conference at the NTR Administrative Building, the ACB chief unveiled the department’s 2025 annual report and outlined new strategies to strengthen investigations and improve conviction rates.

Atul Singh said the ACB has begun using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the first time to collect and analyse data related to benami properties held by corrupt officials. “We are closely monitoring habitual offenders. Their benami networks are being mapped using AI. This year, we will focus on cracking down on big-ticket corruption,” he said.

He explained that data from the IGRS system, including suspicious property registrations and questionable bank transactions, would be analysed using AI tools to identify hidden asset trails. “Our clear objective is to ensure that those indulging in corruption are convicted within three years,” he asserted.

Providing statistics, the DG said 115 ACB cases were registered across the state in 2025, with the Revenue Department accounting for the highest number of trap cases, 19 in total. He acknowledged that the conviction rate stood at 46 percent last year, describing it as unsatisfactory.

To improve outcomes, Atul Singh said witness statements would henceforth be recorded before magistrates under Section 164 of the CrPC, to prevent witnesses from turning hostile during trials. He said that this would strengthen prosecutions and help secure faster convictions. The ACB chief also sought greater public participation in the fight against corruption. “ACB efforts alone are not enough. Citizens must come forward with credible information. Complaints supported by evidence will be acted upon, and the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential,” he assured.

He said that, following the directions of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the ACB is widely publicising its toll-free number 1064 and WhatsApp number 9440440057. In the coming year, apart from the Revenue Department, four other key departments will be under special focus as part of the intensified anti-corruption drive.

ACB has begun using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the first time to collect and analyse data related to benami properties held by corrupt officials.

Atul Singh, Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)