Raipur: Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, Justice Ramesh Sinha, has said that Chhattisgarh has the potential to become a leading state in scientific criminal investigation by effectively implementing the country’s new criminal laws and adopting modern digital technologies. He stressed that technology should support the justice system without replacing judicial wisdom, fairness, or human judgment.
Justice Sinha made these remarks while addressing a state-level workshop on “Strengthening Digital Justice through New Criminal Laws” held in Raipur. The event brought together senior judges, government ministers, police officials, prosecutors, forensic specialists, medical professionals, and other stakeholders involved in the criminal justice system.
Scientific Investigation Begins at the Crime Scene
According to the Chief Justice, the foundation of a fair criminal trial is laid at the crime scene rather than inside the courtroom. He explained that the quality of investigation directly influences prosecution, judicial decisions, and public confidence in the justice system.
Justice Sinha noted that traditional investigations have long depended on witness testimony, human memory, and paper records, which are vulnerable to mistakes and delays. Scientific methods and digital documentation can preserve evidence more accurately and reduce disputes during trial.
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Digital Justice Platforms Can Transform Investigations
The Chief Justice highlighted the importance of India’s integrated digital justice ecosystem, which includes platforms such as e-Challan, e-Sakshya, Nyaya Shruti, e-Forensic, and e-MedLEaPR. He said these tools are designed to make criminal investigations more transparent, technology-driven, and citizen-focused.
He also observed that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) encourage scientific investigation while expanding the use of reliable electronic evidence in criminal proceedings.
e-Sakshya Is More Than a Digital Application
Justice Sinha described e-Sakshya as a complete digital evidence management system rather than simply a mobile application. The platform enables investigators to collect, preserve, and securely transfer digital evidence while maintaining its authenticity.
He explained that photographs, videos, search records, seizure reports, and crime scene inspections can all become part of a secure digital evidence chain. This approach shifts criminal investigations from depending mainly on human recollection to relying on objective and scientifically preserved records.
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Technology Should Support, Not Replace, Judicial Decision-Making
The Chief Justice emphasized that technology must strengthen confidence in the judicial process rather than substitute judicial reasoning. Digital evidence, he said, protects both the prosecution and the accused by creating a transparent record of whether investigations were conducted fairly and according to legal procedures.
He added that features such as timestamps, metadata, geolocation, electronic signatures, secure storage, and unique identification numbers help maintain the integrity of evidence and improve public trust in criminal investigations.
Investigating Officers Hold the Key
Addressing police officers, Justice Sinha stated that no technology can compensate for a weak or biased investigation. He urged investigating officers to view digital documentation as a professional safeguard that strengthens their cases and minimizes disputes during court proceedings.
Courts Should Continue Expanding Digital Practices
The Chief Justice praised judicial officers for increasingly using e-filing, digital case management, video conferencing, and other technological tools.
He revealed that during June alone, district courts across Chhattisgarh conducted 9,910 hearings through video conferencing, while the High Court also handled several virtual proceedings. He encouraged wider adoption of the Nyaya Shruti platform to improve coordination between various institutions within the criminal justice system.
New Criminal Laws Strengthen Electronic Evidence
Justice Sinha explained that the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 significantly broadens the legal recognition of electronic records by placing them on par with traditional documentary evidence.
The law provides a stronger legal framework for the admissibility of electronic materials such as:
- CCTV footage
- Mobile phone records
- Emails
- GPS data
- Digital photographs
- Cloud-based information
He further noted that the BNSS promotes technology at every stage of criminal proceedings by supporting electronic communication, videography during searches and seizures, and wider use of digital records throughout investigations and trials.
Continuous Training Remains Essential
Justice Sinha stressed that technological reforms can succeed only when investigators, prosecutors, and judicial officers receive continuous training. He said the Chhattisgarh State Judicial Academy will continue conducting capacity-building programmes, while encouraging the police department to strengthen the digital skills of investigating officers.
Looking ahead, he said the justice system should also prepare for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced digital forensics, and blockchain-based evidence management. According to him, the real success of digital justice reforms will be measured by the confidence they inspire among citizens that investigations remain transparent, impartial, and based on truth.