Lok Sabha Question No. 1402 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-26
Subject: Forensic Laboratories
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Bhavana Gawali (Patil), Bidyut Baran Mahato, Subrata Pathak, Shrirang Appa Barne, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Sudheer Gupta, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Ravindra Kushawaha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1402

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  JULY, 2022/ SRAVANA 04, 1944 (SAKA)

## FORENSIC LABORATORIES

1402. SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK: SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  forensic  laboratories  are  available  in  the  country  to  support technical and electronic evidence and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to establish or increase the number of such Laboratories in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  such  Laboratories  will  help  in  improving  the  condition  of electronic evidence in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  for  regulation  of  such forensic Laboratories and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether such laboratories are presently being used in a effective way to its full capacity and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the details of funds allocated, released and utilized to raise the status of the present forensic laboratories and to establish such new laboratories during each of the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

## L.S.USQ. NO.1402 FOR 26.07.2022

(a) to (c) 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.

- (d) 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 cyberforensics.
- (e) 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.

***