Rs 30,000 Cr Forensic Revolution: Pan-India Labs Network To Supercharge Justice Delivery In 5 Years

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced a Rs 30,000 crore investment over five years to establish a pan-India forensic labs network, shared during a Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 3, 2026. This transformative push addresses key gaps in forensic infrastructure, technology, skilled personnel, and standardized practices, enabling direct lab-to-court reports and evidence-led investigations under new criminal laws. The initiative supports time-bound justice by 2029 across sessions courts to Supreme Court, integrating AI, secure databases, and interoperability.

Key Highlights

• Rs 30,000 crore allocation by Centre and states for nationwide forensic network over five years
• ​Mandatory forensics for crimes over seven years punishment, with mobile vans in every district
• ​​Cluster model: 3-4 states share advanced labs like new Kolkata CFSL serving seven states
• ​Training 30,000-36,000 experts yearly via 16 NFSU campuses, 9 more approved
• Complements NAFIS (Rs 2,254 cr), seven new CFSLs (Rs 2,100 cr), National Forensic Data Centre​
• AI-driven tools like CCTNS, e-Prisons, Nyaya Setu for faster probes and 90%+ convictions

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The plan tackles past challenges such as tech deficits, chain-of-custody issues, and uneven standards, with 1,000 mobile forensic vans now operational from zero in 2021. Labs will specialize in DNA, cyber forensics, narcotics, and ballistics, with e-Forensics linking 117 facilities. Shah highlighted digitization of 36 crore legacy cases and 7 lakh FIRs on CCTNS, plus databases for fingerprints (1.21 crore), narco offenders (9.44 lakh). By 2029, every state gains a forensic university or CFSL, boosting self-reliance and reducing pendency. This aligns with 'Viksit Bharat', modernizing police, courts, forensics, prosecution pillars.
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Recent steps include Kolkata CFSL inauguration (Rs 88 cr) and J&K lab approvals. The scale dwarfs prior Rs 2,080 cr modernization scheme.
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Sources: Kashmir In Depth, Newsonair, The Hindu BusinessLine, PIB, Economic Times, UNI India.