Patna: Two cyber forensic laboratories (CFL) are set to open in Patna and Rajgir within the next four to six months, significantly accelerating cybercrime investigations in Bihar.
According to Additional Director General (CID) Parasnath, the labs will increase the speed of examining digital evidence by up to four times. They are being established in collaboration with the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under a recently signed memorandum of understanding.
The NFSU will provide technical assistance, consultancy services, and specifications for the equipment, as well as train six personnel from the state’s existing Forensic Science Lab in cyber forensic techniques. Approval for the project has been granted by the Home Department, with a budget of Rs 13,66,52,000 allocated.
Parasnath highlighted that under new criminal laws, forensic assistance through audio-visual evidence is mandatory in cases carrying a sentence of seven years or more, making these facilities crucial.
Cybercrime in Bihar has been rising sharply. The state recorded 1,606 cybercrime cases in 2022, which jumped to 4,801 in 2023—a 200% increase. In 2024, the figure rose to 5,721, with 3,258 cases already registered by May this year. Offences range from digital arrests and online fraud to phishing, identity theft, and social media hacking.
The state’s cyber helpline, 1930, has also seen heavy use. In 2024–25, it received 25,00,000 calls, with 94,000 complaints registered so far this year—80,000 of them related to financial fraud.
Currently, a cyber branch in the Patna Forensic Science Laboratory handles the technical examination of mobile phones, laptops, CCTV footage, and other digital evidence. In 2024, exhibits from 255 cases were received, with 135 resolved. By July this year, 206 cases had been referred, and 75 have been processed.
