Cyber Forensic Labs to be Set Up in Patna and Rajgir Within Six Months, Investigation Speed to Quadruple

Patna, August 13.
In a major move to curb the rising menace of cybercrime, Bihar is all set to establish state-of-the-art Cyber Forensic Labs (CFLs) in Patna and Rajgir. According to ADG (CID) Parasnath, both labs will be fully operational within the next four to six months, significantly boosting the speed of cybercrime investigations—up to four times faster than the current pace. He shared this information during a press conference held at the Police Headquarters, Sardar Patel Bhavan, on Wednesday.

The ADG informed that the labs are being developed in collaboration with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat. A formal MoU has already been signed with NFSU, under which the university will provide technical assistance, consultancy services, technical specifications for the required equipment, and training for personnel. Initially, six staff members from both units will undergo specialized training.

₹13.66 Crore Sanctioned for the Project
The Home Department has approved the project and sanctioned ₹13.66 crore for the setup and operations. Parasnath highlighted that under the new criminal laws, in cases where the punishment is seven years or more, forensic assistance using audio-visual evidence has been made mandatory—further underscoring the importance of these labs.

Rising Cybercrime in Bihar
Cybercrime in Bihar has been on a sharp rise. In 2022, 1,606 cases were registered, which increased by 200% to 4,801 cases in 2023. The figure rose further to 5,721 cases in 2024, and by May this year alone, 3,258 cases have already been reported. The most common crimes include digital arrest scams, online fraud, banking scams, social media hacking, phishing, fake customer care calls, and identity theft.

Massive Number of Complaints on Cyber Helpline
The cyber helpline number 1930 receives thousands of calls daily. In 2024-25, it received 2.5 million calls. So far this year, 94,000 complaints have been registered, of which 80,000 are related to financial fraud.

Current Setup and Future Benefits
At present, the Forensic Science Laboratory in Patna has a cyber division that examines technical exhibits such as mobile phones, laptops, and CCTV footage. In 2024, the lab received exhibits from 255 cases, completing investigations in 135 of them. By July 2025, 206 exhibits were received, with 75 cases investigated so far.

Once the new cyber forensic labs in Patna and Rajgir are operational, the state’s capacity to handle cybercrime will increase dramatically, enabling faster, more accurate, and technologically advanced investigations—placing Bihar among the leading states in digital forensics in India.