Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday launched a special initiative to expedite justice by addressing the backlog of pending cases in the state’s forensic laboratories. The move aims to strengthen the justice delivery chain and ensure faster resolution of cases across the state.

Under this initiative, priority is being given to disposing of cases under new criminal laws, with a special focus on clearing pending forensic cases that have been delaying justice. Chief Minister Fadnavis directed a comprehensive review process to maintain momentum in case disposal.

In 2025, the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories had 1.81 lakh pending cases and received 2.94 lakh new cases. Under the new drive, as many as 3,96,879 cases were disposed of by December 2025, reducing the pending cases to 79,542, surpassing the projected capacity of 2 to 2.15 lakh cases.

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The campaign included extended working hours for laboratory staff, including government holidays, to clear backlogs. The Conventional Forensic division alone resolved 3,96,275 cases by the end of 2025 and will now analyze new cases on the day they are received, starting February 2026.

Pending cases in the Computer Crime, Cyber, Audio, and Audio-Visual divisions are also being cleared rapidly. This approach is expected to shorten the waiting period for victims, ensuring quicker justice across Maharashtra.

Further strengthening the forensic system, the government is providing Mobile Forensic Vans to every Sub-Divisional Police Officer office, modernizing operations, and significantly enhancing the efficiency and speed of justice delivery throughout the state.

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