Cyber forensic divisions are now operational in Punjab, Nagaland, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with 27 other States and Union Territories already equipped with similar facilities, as per information shared in Parliament. Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar highlighted that Sikkim remains the sole state without such a setup. Additionally, Union Territories like Chandigarh, Daman Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep, and Ladakh are leveraging forensic science resources from neighboring regions and Central Forensic Science Laboratories.
The Indian government has set up a National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (Evidentiary) at the CFSL in Hyderabad, with a total budget of Rs 37.34 crore. Under the “Safety of Women” umbrella scheme, funds amounting to Rs 126.84 crore have been sanctioned for establishing six NCFLs(E) in Central Forensic Science Laboratories across Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata (West Bengal), Kamrup (Assam), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and Pune (Maharashtra). A portion of the approved funds, Rs 22.51 crore, has already been utilized for this purpose.
In response to queries regarding pending cases in cyber forensic labs nationwide, it was mentioned that such details are not centrally maintained. However, at the Central lab in Hyderabad, 181 cases are currently awaiting examination at NCFL (E) Hyderabad, which is staffed by four in-house experts and five contractual personnel. Bandi Sanjay Kumar emphasized the importance of continuous reskilling and upskilling of cyber professionals as an integral aspect of their duties, primarily achieved through on-the-job learning. The National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) conducts various training programs in cyber forensics, having organized 66 such programs with 1,852 participants from various government departments over the past five years.
