New Delhi, October 11 (H.S.) – Former Chief Justice Justice Sanjeev Khanna on Saturday said that white-collar crime challenges not only the limits of law but also the very soul of governance. He expressed concern over the attitude of law enforcement agencies and emphasized the need for greater sensitivity toward victims.

Justice Khanna was addressing the ‘TPF–Duties: National Legal Conference on Combating White-Collar Crime’ organized by the Terapanth Professional Forum (TPF). He described white-collar crime as a growing threat that undermines the moral structure of society and stressed the need for greater sensitivity while enforcing financial laws.

He stated that every act or omission with financial impact cannot be viewed in the same light. Lawmakers must differentiate between deliberate fraud, unintentional errors, and procedural lapses. Justice Khanna added that the strength of the justice system lies not in the severity of punishment but in the certainty of justice.

He noted that a deep-rooted perception exists that law enforcement agencies are meant for harassment rather than help. This fear prevents people from approaching them, allowing cybercriminals to exploit the situation. Many victims pay offenders out of fear rather than seeking justice. Justice Khanna stressed the need for law enforcement agencies to be more accessible and for public awareness to increase, stating that this two-way process is key to addressing the problem.

Dr. Poonam Khetrapal, Regional Director (Emeritus) of WHO South-East Asia, highlighted that white-collar crime in the health sector is not only about money but also about life and trust. Deliberate provision of substandard care, denying treatment to the poor despite entitlement, and ignoring safety standards for profit constitute white-collar crime. She cited a global study showing that 8.6 million people die prematurely each year due to poor healthcare, including 1.6 million in India, and emphasized the need for strong forensic auditing, tracking health outcomes, regulatory performance indicators, and judicial oversight.

Ashish Kumar Chauhan, Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), noted that as societies grow wealthier, crimes increasingly take the form of white-collar offenses. Quoting a senior judge, he said that in the past two decades, the proportion of violent versus economic crimes has completely reversed: earlier, 80 percent of crimes were physical; now, 80 percent are financial or cyber crimes.

Rajkumar Nahta, National Coordinator of TPF, stated that white-collar crime is not victimless. Every scam deprives society of opportunities, and every fraud slows development. He called upon professionals to become collective whistleblowers, guardians of ethics, and protectors of the nation’s moral wealth.

The conference was attended by over a thousand professionals from law, finance, healthcare, and academia. Sessions focused on ethics, compliance, governance, and evolving legal frameworks for financial crimes, aligned with India’s vision of Developed India 2047.

The conference concluded with a shared message: India’s development will remain incomplete until public trust and ethics are restored in its institutions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar