As per available information, apart from the facilities in 7 Central Forensic Science Laboratories for forensic examination of technical and electronic evidence, Cyber  forensic-cum-training  laboratories  have  been commissioned in 28 States/ Union Territories, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. A National Cyber Forensic Science Laboratory has been set up at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Hyderabad to investigate important cases of digital fraud / cyber forensics.

The Government has approved a Scheme for Modernization of Forensic Capacities, which, inter-alia, will provide assistance to States/ Union Territories to develop high quality forensic science facilities with modern machinery and equipment, including cyber-forensics. Setting up of new facilities is an ongoing process and a function of demand and requirements in each State/ Union Territory.

The capacity addition in Forensic Science Laboratories will strengthen the mechanism to deal with cyber-crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.

In order to ensure quality in the forensic science laboratories, the Directorate  of  Forensic  Science  Services  under  the  Ministry  of   Home Affairs, has issued Working Procedures Manual for examination of cyber case exhibits and a Standard list of Equipment for establishing/upgrading of Forensic Sciences Laboratories, including equipment for cyber-forensics.

The Central Forensic Science Laboratories have disposed 2190 cases with 31354 exhibits in cyber/ electronic evidences received from law enforcement agencies, Courts and Banks in the last year. Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CBI) is disposing on average 100 crime cases per month. Information on disposal of cases in States/ Union Territories is not maintained centrally.

(f)        A total of Rs.6.92 crore, Rs.7.91 crore, Rs.9.16 crore and Rs.5.19 crore have been released/ utilized in the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and the current year respectively to raise the status of the present forensic laboratories and to establish such new laboratories. Funds are allocated as per requirement in the annual budget.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Ajay Kumar Mishra in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

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