Lok Sabha Question No. 3452 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Infrastructure in Forensic Laboratories
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Kripanath Mallah, Shri Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3452

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2024/ AGRAHAYANA 26, 1946 (SAKA)

## INFRASTRUCTURE IN FORENSIC LABORATORIES

3452.     SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH: SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  recently  approved  National  Forensic  Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme along with the extant to which the scheme is of relevance in the context of the new criminal laws in force;
- (b)  the  details  of  total  number  of  Central  Forensic  Science  Laboratories (CFSLs), State Forensic Science  Laboratories (SFSLs) and  Regional Forensic Science Laboratories (RFSs) in the country, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh;
- (c)  the  total  number  of  vacancies  in  the  CFSLs,  SFSLs,  RFSLs  in  the country, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh;
- (d) the total number of pending matters before each CFSLs, SFSLs, RFSLs, in the country, State-wise inclduing Andhra Pradesh; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  reduce  pendancy before forensic laboratories during the last five years and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a) A  'National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES)' has been approved by the Government on 19.06.2024 with a total financial outlay  of  ₹2254.43  crore  from  financial  year  2024-25  to  2028-29.  This scheme  will  enhance  the   forensic  testing  infrastructure,  address  the

shortage  of  forensic  professionals  and  fast  track  the  examination  of cases  in  the  forensic  science  laboratories  in  the  country.  The  Scheme comprises  establishment  of  09  off-campuses  of  the  National  Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), 07 Central Forensic Science Laboratories in the  country,  and  enhancement  of  existing  infrastructure  of  the  Delhi Campus of the NFSU.

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.

- (b) 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, 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.

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.

- (c) The  data  regarding  vacancy  position  in  State  Forensic  Science Laboratories (SFSLs) is not maintained centrally. As per available information,  there  are  123  vacancies  in  seven  Central  Forensic  Science Laboratories under the Directorate of Forensic Science Services.
- (d) The  data  regarding  pendency  of  cases  in  State  Forensic  Science Laboratories  (SFSLs)  is  not  maintained  centrally.  In  the  last  five  years, (2020-21 to October 2024-25), a total of 69,826 cases have been received by  the  seven  CFSLs.  The  pendency  of  cases  in  CFSLs  (as  onOctober, 2024) is as under:
- (e) In order to reduce pendency, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken following steps for strengthening of forensic capacities in the country:
- (i) Three  new  Central  Forensic  Sciences  Laboratories  have  been established at Bhopal, Guwahati, and Pune and the existing CFSL at Kolkata has been modernized.
- (ii) Machinery  &  Equipment  has  been  upgraded  in the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories, including in the new disciplines

| CFSL             |   Pending cases |
|------------------|-----------------|
| CFSL, Bhopal     |              87 |
| CFSL, Chandigarh |             665 |
| CFSL, Delhi      |             937 |
| CFSL, Hyderabad  |             423 |
| CFSL, Kamrup     |             252 |
| CFSL, Kolkata    |            1340 |
| CFSL, Pune       |             249 |
| Total            |            3953 |

- of Forensics in Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances, Digital Forensics, DNA Forensic analysis, Forensic Psychology.
- (iii) A  State-of-the-art  DNA  Analysis  and  Research  &  Development facility has been  set up at the Central  Forensic  Sciences Laboratory at Chandigarh.
- 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
- (iv) ₹126.84 crore.
- (v) An e-Forensics IT platform, which connects 117 forensic science laboratories (Central and State) in the country has been Operationalized.
- (vi) 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.
- (vii) 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.

- (viii) 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.
- (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.
-  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.

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

| S. No.              | States / UTs   | No. of State FSLs   | No. of Regional FSLs   |
|---------------------|----------------|---------------------|------------------------|
| 1 A&N Islands       | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 2 Andhra Pradesh    | 1              |                     | 5                      |
| 3 Arunachal Pradesh | 1              | 0                   |                        |
| 4 Assam             | 1              |                     | 5                      |
| 5 Bihar             | 1              |                     | 2                      |
| 6 Chhattisgarh      | 1              | 3                   |                        |
| 7 Delhi             | 1              |                     | 1                      |
| 8 Gujarat           | 1              | 7                   |                        |
| 9 Goa               | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 10 Haryana          | 1              | 4                   |                        |
| 11 Himachal Pradesh | 1              | 2                   |                        |
| 12 Jharkhand        | 1              | 0                   |                        |
| 13 Jammu & Kashmir  | 1              | 1                   |                        |
| 14 Kerala           | 1              |                     | 3                      |
| 15 Karnataka        | 1              |                     | 7                      |
| 16 West Bengal      | 1              | 2                   |                        |
| 17 Madhya Pradesh   | 1              | 4                   |                        |
| 18 Maharashtra      | 1              |                     | 12                     |
| 19 Manipur          | 1              | 0                   |                        |
| 20 Meghalaya        | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 21 Mizoram          | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 22 Nagaland         | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 23 Odisha           | 1              |                     | 3                      |
| 24 Puducherry       | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 25 Punjab           | 1              |                     | 3                      |
| 26 Rajasthan        | 1              |                     | 6                      |
| 27 Sikkim           | 1              |                     | 0                      |
| 28 Tamil Nadu       | 1              |                     | 10                     |
| 29 Telangana        | 1              |                     | 4                      |
| 30 Tripura          | 1              | 0                   |                        |
| 31 Uttar Pradesh    | 1              | 12                  |                        |
| 32 Uttarakhand      | 1              |                     | 1                      |
| Total               |                | 32                  | 97                     |

(Source: Directorate of Forensic Science Services)

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