Presently, there are 7 Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSL) in the country under Directorate of Forensic Science Services. These CFSLs are located at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Chandigarh, Kamrup (Assam), Hyderabad  (Telangana),  Pune  (Maharashtra),  Delhi  and  Kolkata           (West Bengal).   Further,  as  per the available information, there are 32 State Forensic Science Laboratories and 97 Regional Forensic Science Laboratories in the country. The State-wise details of forensic labs of the States / Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, may be seen at Annexure.

   The Government is focused on strengthening the capacities for investigation and prosecution, including the eco-system for forensic sciences in the country. The process of strengthening of forensic laboratories and related facilities in the country is an ongoing and continuous process which is dependent on gap-analysis and demand assessment. ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation, prosecution of crime and criminals, and related forensic science facilities, are with the State/Union Territory concerned.

The following steps have been taken by the Central Government to upgrade forensic labs and also forensic infrastructure in the country:

1. Three new Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories have been established at Bhopal, Guwahati, and Pune and the existing CFSL at Kolkata has been modernized.

 

2. Machinery & Equipment has been upgraded in the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories, including in the new disciplines of Forensics in Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances, Digital Forensics, DNA Forensic analysis, Forensic Psychology.

 

3. A State-of-the-art DNA Analysis and Research & Development facility has been set up at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Chandigarh.

 

4. A National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (NCFL) at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Hyderabad has been established to investigate important cases of digital fraud / cyber forensics. Further, the Government of India has approved for setting up of 06 additional NCFLs in the country at the CFSL Chandigarh, Delhi, Kolkata, Kamroop, Bhopal, and Pune with a total outlay of ₹126.84 crore.

 

5. An e-Forensics IT platform, which connects 117 forensic science laboratories (Central and State) in the country has been Operationalized.

 

6. In order to strengthen DNA Analysis and Cyber Forensic Capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories (State FSLs), all projects (30) received from States/UTs have been approved to the tune of ₹245.29 crore. ₹185.28 crore have been released so far.

 

7. The Government of India has approved setting up of eighth CFSL in Samba, Jammu. Apart from this, setting up of 07 additional CFSLs in the country with a total outlay of ₹860.3 crore has been approved under the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme.

 

8. In order to address the necessity for capacity building of manpower in forensic sciences, MHA is undertaking training for Investigating Officers, Prosecutors, and Medical Officers from States/UTs in collection, storage and handling of DNA evidence and use of Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits. So far 32,524 Investigating Officers, Prosecutors and Medical Officers have been trained. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also distributed 18020 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits to the States/UTs as part of this training.

 

9. Further, in the year 2022 a “Scheme for Modernization of Forensic Capacities” with a total financial outlay of ₹2080.5 crore has been approved. Under this scheme, assistance is available to States/ Union Territories to develop high quality forensic science facilities for modernization of machinery and equipment including mobile forensic vans, and facilitating availability of trained manpower in these laboratories through expansion of educational facilities for forensic  science  in  the  country. So far, funds to the tune of about ₹200 crore have been approved for 20 States / Union Territories for the component of “Modernization /Upgradation of Forensic Science Laboratories in States / Union Territories”. Further, under this Scheme so far, projects from 23 States/UTs have been approved for procurement of 433 mobile forensic vans.

 

10. Apart from the initial campuses of the NFSU in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and Delhi, in-principle approval has been provided for setting up of 05 additional off campuses of the NFSU in Goa, Agartala (Tripura), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Dharwad (Karnataka), and Guwahati (Assam). These additional campuses are currently operational from transit campuses till the construction of permanent campuses. Apart from this, the NFSU has also set up training/skilling academies in Imphal (Manipur) and Pune (Maharashtra). Further, the Government of India on 19.06.2024 has approved “National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme” which inter-alia includes the component for setting up of 09 additional campuses of the NFSU from financial year 2024-2025 to 2028-2029 with a total financial outlay of these campuses is ₹1309.13 crore. In-principle approval has been given to set up these 9 campuses in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal subject to availability/feasibility of land.

 

11. To ensure quality and standardization in forensic examination, the Directorate of Forensic Science Services, MHA, has issued the following guidelines:

 

- Quality Manuals for accreditation of laboratories as per NABL standards (ISO 17025) and Working Procedure Manuals in nine disciplines of Forensic Sciences.

- Guidelines for collection, preservation & transportation of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases for Investigation Officers and medical Officers

- Standard list of Equipment for establishing/upgrading of Forensic Sciences Laboratories.

 

12. With the enactment of the new Criminal Laws which mandates forensic investigation for offences involving punishment of 7 years or more, a significant increase in the workload of forensic science laboratories is expected. To meet this heightened demand, significant investment and enhancement in the national forensic infrastructure is imperative. Establishment of additional off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) is essential to address the shortage of trained forensic manpower, alleviate the case load / pendency of forensic laboratories।

 

Annexure

The State-wise details of forensic labs of the States / Union Territories.

 

(Source: Directorate of Forensic Science Services)

   This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

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  RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS/2625

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