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 33 States / Union Territories, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, 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, Tripura, Puducherry, Chandigarh, J&K, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Manipur, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Delhi. 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.

A total of Rs. 6.21 crore, Rs. 7.60 crore, Rs. 9.11 crore and Rs. 25.71 crore have been released/ utilized in the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively to raise the status of the present forensic laboratories and to establish such new laboratories. No fund was released in the FY 2018-19. 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 Rajya Sabha.

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RK/AY/SM/AKS/RR/2313

(Release ID: 1947128)