The backlog in Maharashtra’s forensic laboratories is severely hampering cybercrime investigations, with over 27,000 cyber-related cases awaiting analysis across the state. Of these, more than 3,000 cases are pending at the Nagpur Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) — one of the most overburdened facilities in the state.
On average, Maharashtra’s forensic labs receive over 39,000 cases annually, but 14,000 remain unresolved due to limited infrastructure and manpower. Surprisingly, Nagpur RFSL handles over 2,000 more cases annually than Mumbai, highlighting the acute pressure on the lab.
Plan to Set Up New Regional Labs
In a bid to reduce the mounting load and decentralize forensic operations, a proposal has been submitted to establish new regional laboratories in Chandrapur, Chule, Ratnagiri, Thane, and Kolhapur. Officials said viscera analysis has already begun in Chandrapur and Amravati, helping to ease some burden off Nagpur’s lab.
Cybercrime Investigations Face Delays
As cybercrime continues to rise sharply, digital forensic analysis has become critical to investigations. However, the delay in obtaining lab reports is severely affecting the pace of police probes and court proceedings.
“We often send seized mobile phones and hard drives to forensic labs to extract crucial digital evidence,” said Cyber Police Inspector Baliram Sutar. “But due to the backlog, we face long delays in getting reports, which slows down investigations and impacts the judicial process.”
He also pointed out the shortage of skilled personnel in forensic labs, which hinders effective coordination with the cyber police. “So far this year, we have registered 56 cyber offences, and in 17 of them, we have sent digital devices for analysis. But reports are still pending in many of them,” he added.
Progress Amid Constraints
Despite the challenges, Nagpur’s cyber police have made notable progress, successfully freezing assets worth Rs 7-8 crore and recovering nearly Rs 5 crore in fraud cases this year. Officials, however, believe that these numbers could have been significantly higher had forensic support been timely.
With the volume of cybercrime increasing every year, experts stress the urgent need to upgrade forensic infrastructure, recruit trained personnel, and decentralize services to ensure quicker resolution of cyber investigations across Maharashtra.
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