Why Maharashtra’s forensic labs are struggling to keep pace with casework? | Explained
Maharashtra's forensic laboratories are facing a significant backlog of nearly 55,000 cases, primarily driven by high volumes in cyber forensics and audio-visual authentication. Officials cite a mismatch between the rising number of incoming cases and the current processing capacity of the state's facilities.
Why it matters
A massive forensic backlog delays the judicial process, potentially impacting the speed and quality of criminal justice delivery in India's most industrialized state.
Nearly 55,000 cases were pending across Maharashtra’s forensic laboratories at the beginning of September, with Cyber Forensics and Tape Authentication and Speaker Identification (TASI) together accounting for nearly three-fourths of the backlog, according to data from the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories (DFSL).
Of the 54,897 cases carried forward as of September 1, 29,666 were with the Cyber division and 9,766 with TASI. Together, the two divisions accounted for 39,432 cases, or nearly 72% of the State’s forensic pendency.
The latest monthly data also shows that while the overall forensic backlog declined during August, pendency continued to increase in the two divisions accounting for its largest share.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in