At present, there are 07 Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in the country located in Chandigarh, Delhi, Kamrup, Kolkata, Bhopal, Pune, and Hyderabad. In-principle approval has been provided for setting up of 08^th CFSL in Jammu with a total financial outlay of ₹99.9 crore.

Further, the Government has approved the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme which inter-alia includes the component for setting up of 07 additional CFSLs in the country with a total financial outlay of ₹860.3 crore.

(b) Following are the measures taken to enhance forensic capabilities under the Nirbhaya Fund:

(i) Projects of 30 States/UTs to the tune of ₹245.29 crore have been approved under the Nirbhaya funded scheme for Strengthening of DNA Analysis and Cyber Forensic Capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories.

(ii) The Government 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, 34,626 Investigating Officers, Prosecutors and Medical Officers have been trained by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and the LNJN National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Sciences (now Delhi campus of the National Forensic Sciences University). The Ministry of Home Affairs has also distributed 18020 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits to the States/UTs as part of this training.

(iii) Setting-up a State-of-the-art DNA Analysis and Research & Development facility at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Chandigarh.

Apart from above, the following steps have been taken by the Government to enhance forensic capabilities in the country:

(i) Modernization of Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories at Bhopal, Guwahati, Pune and Kolkata.

(ii) Upgrading of machinery & equipment 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.

(iii) Setting-up a National Cyber Forensic Science Laboratory at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Hyderabad to investigate important cases of digital fraud / cyber forensics.

(iv) Operationalizing an e-Forensics IT platform, which connects 117 forensic science laboratories (Central and State) in the country.

(v) The National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) has been set up under the Act of the Parliament in the year 2020 for providing quality and trained forensic manpower across all parts of the country. The headquarter of the NFSU is located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Apart from this, campuses of the NFSU are situated at Delhi, Goa, Agartala (Tripura),   Bhopal   (Madhya Pradesh),    Dharwad    (Karnataka),   and Guwahati (Assam). The NFSU has also started training academies in Imphal (Manipur) and Pune (Maharashtra).

(vi) A Scheme for Modernization of Forensic Capacities with a total financial outlay of Rs. 2080.5 Crore has been approved. This will provide assistance to States/ Union Territories to develop high quality forensic science facilities for modernization of machinery and equipment, 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 21 States / Union Territories for the component of “Modernization / Upgradation of Forensic Science Laboratories in States / Union Territories” and about ₹309 crore have been approved for 25 States / Union Territories for the component of “Mobile Forensic Vans for all districts and State FSLs in the country” under the Scheme.

(vii) Setting up of 09 additional off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University has been inter-alia approved under the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme with a total financial outlay of ₹1309.13 crore.

(viii) Setting up of 06 additional National Cyber Forensic Laboratories with a financial outlay of ₹126.84 crore has been approved under the umbrella scheme “Safety of Women”.

(ix) 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.

(c) The Government has approved establishment of National Forensic Data Centre under the umbrella scheme “Safety of Women” with a total financial outlay of ₹200.16 crore to systematically store and manage forensic data electronically.

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

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