NFSU Convocation | Forensic science is ‘Suraksha Kavach’, safeguards justice in digital age: CJI Surya Kant

CJI Kant was accompanied by three other serving Supreme Court judges – Justice Aravind Kumar, Justice N V Anjaria and Justice VM Pancholi. Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi and Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal of the Gujarat High Court were also present at the ceremony.

CJI Kant said, “Courts increasingly rely upon technical conclusions to resolve contested facts and this reliance elevates the responsibility carried by those who generate such knowledge. The more decisive scientific analysis becomes in shaping legal outcomes, the more essential it is that such analysis remains guided not only by technical proficiency but by ethical clarity. It is precisely at this point that science meets consciousness. The expansion of forensic capability marks an undeniable progress, yet every advance in analytical power brings with it the corresponding duty of restraint and responsibility.”

A total of 1,799 students received graduate and post-graduate degrees and diplomas at the convocation, including 60 from Zimbabwe who were among 97 students from 21 countries.

Giving the annual report of the university, Vice Chancellor Dr JM Vyas said, “NFSU has 13 campuses in India and one abroad in Uganda.” He then said that many more campuses would be coming up in other countries saying, ” Seven countries have submitted requests including Rwanda, UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. However, these decisions are taken at the highest levels of the government.”

CJI Kant reminded students of the real world consequences of their work and its impact on not just individual cases but trust in the legal system. He said, “Scientific analysis cannot exist in a moral vacuum because its conclusions carry consequences that extend far beyond the laboratory and into the lives of the individuals and legitimacy of institutions… Science is meant to offer clarity and conscience provides direction. Without scientific rigour dear friends justice risks becoming arbitrary. Without ethical reflection, justice risks becoming mechanical. The true strength of forensic practice lies in maintaining equilibrium between these two forces.”

On the challenges before the legal system in the digital age, CJI Kant said, “The digital age has transformed not only how crimes are committed but also how truth must be discovered. Cyber intrusions, digital fraud identity manipulations, and transnational data crimes challenge traditional investigative models and demand a new level of analytical sophistication. In such an environment forensic science becomes more than a technical discipline, it becomes a raksha or suraksha kavach – a protective shield safeguarding the integrity of justice against both technical deception and informational chaos.”