The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified two forensic laboratories as the ‘Examiner of Electronic Evidence within India’. The appointments come through two separate notifications, both dated 5th November 2021.
The first laboratory is the Cyber Forensic Laboratory, Air Force Cyber Group, New Delhi. The second laboratory is the Cyber Forensic Division, State Forensic Science Laboratory, Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The scope of both laboratories extends to:
- Computer (Media) Forensics excluding Floppy Disk Drive;
- Mobile Devices Forensics.
Appointment Under Section 79A
As per Section 79A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Central Government ‘may’ designate any department, body, or agency of the Central Government or a State Government as an Examiner of Electronic Evidence. Such body shall provide an expert opinion on electronic evidence before any court or other authority.
The government has already appointed the Cyber Forensic Laboratory, Army Cyber Group, New Delhi, as an examiner in 2018.
MeitY also runs a ‘Scheme for Notifying Examiner of Electronic Evidence‘. Interested forensic laboratories can apply, through an application form. The objective of the scheme is to ascertain the competence of the laboratory applying for such notification.
Here are the two notifications.
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