New Delhi, Jun 19 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said his ministry is working in “collaboration with the Supreme Court and High Courts” to prepare a blueprint to reduce the number of pending cases.
He said efforts are also underway to establish evening courts and create mechanisms to clear pending criminal cases in the two courts.
The minister said the objective of the new criminal justice codes is clear -– Wherever a crime is registered in the country, the entire judicial process, including appeals up to the Supreme Court, must be completed and “guilt established” within three years.
The ministry will not tolerate delays at any cost, a government statement said quoting Shah.
The home minister said scientifically prepared chargesheets, efficient prosecution, and “full cooperation from courts will be essential.” He was speaking at the inauguration of the All India Fingerprint Conference-2026 organised by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) here.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs is working in collaboration with the Supreme Court and High Courts to prepare a blueprint for reducing the pendency of cases.
“Efforts are also underway to establish evening courts and create new mechanisms for clearing pending criminal cases in High Courts and the Supreme Court,” he said.
At the event, Shah launched four new applications: NCRB-ABHIGYAN, CrPI (Criminal Procedure Identification), E-Prosecution 2.0, and E-Forensics 2.0.
In his address, the minister said the time has come to make the criminal justice system an effective instrument to ensure citizens’ rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Since August 2019, the Modi government has undertaken a comprehensive campaign to bring fundamental reforms in criminal laws, he said.
Shah said the objective is not only to modernise the criminal justice system but also to make science and technology its integral components.
A key objective of the Modi government’s criminal justice reforms is to ensure justice within three years of the FIR, and a robust mechanism to ensure that it takes place is on the anvil, he said.
Over the last seven years, the country has moved close to achieving this goal, with NCRB playing a pivotal role in this journey, he said.
Shah said scientific evidence is the most powerful weapon in combating crime.
The home minister said that preserving scientific evidence – fingerprints among the most important – from the crime scene from the very beginning is one of the most effective ways to secure convictions.
“Effective collection and utilization of fingerprint records are critical, with the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) serving as a key pillar of this framework,” he said.
“NAFIS should not be used merely to identify offenders. Its effectiveness depends on continuously enriching the database by uploading fingerprints collected from every crime scene,” Shah was quoted as saying in the statement.
The minister described NAFIS as a two-way system that is invaluable in proving crimes but also requires continuous data generation.
He thanked the state governments and the police for achieving 100 per cent expansion of CCTNS.
“We have succeeded in ensuring CCTNS reach in all 17,840 police stations across the country, and today we have 37.86 crore FIRs, including legacy data, available with us,” he said.
Shah said 22,000 courts have been connected to e-Court.
“The process of also bringing their legacy prosecution data online is underway. In e-Prison, 2.70 crore data is available with us today. In e-Forensic, forensic data of 34,4800 cases is available with us. Alert data of 43.16 lakh crimes is also available,” he said.
Shah urged all states to prioritise database quality and security, remarking that data stored passively becomes a burden rather than an asset.
“Data yields real value only when transformed into intelligence,” he said.
Shah called for the creation of specialised teams in every state that use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to analyse crime patterns, identify repeat offenders, and develop offender profiles.
The minister said training programmes should focus not only on searching the database but also on systematically uploading crime-scene fingerprints to strengthen it.
He asserted that the government’s objective is clear: No criminal, however intelligent, should be able to evade the combined force of law and science.
“Through scientific investigation, time-bound prosecution, and the effective use of an integrated criminal justice system, crime control can be ensured,” he said.
Shah said merely apprehending offenders is insufficient as lasting crime prevention can only be achieved when society develops confidence that criminal acts will inevitably result in punishment.
According to the minister, since the implementation of the new criminal laws, several cases have resulted in convictions, including life imprisonment, within 90 days.
He also said ensuring the quality and security of databases such as NAFIS and CRPI is primarily the responsibility of states.
A criminal’s DNA sample, if properly preserved, can also be used in investigating other crimes, he said. “Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure the accurate collection and secure storage of such samples.” Similarly, the collection, security, and application of NAFIS data must all be carried out with great precision, the minister insisted.
On some criminals exploiting jurisdictional boundaries between states, Shah suggested building databases to identify interstate and international offenders.
“… data must be converted into actionable intelligence through AI-driven analysis and advanced software systems capable of generating precise insights,” he said.
Strong measures must be deployed to ensure database security, accountability mechanisms, cybersecurity safeguards, access logs, SOP-based usage, third-party audits, and penalties for misuse, he said.
The minister stressed chargesheets be kept concise and carry only relevant evidence. PTI ABS/NES VN VN
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