Ahmedabad: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday urged graduating students of forensic sciences to uphold their discipline as a “raksha kavach (protective shield)” for the justice system, protecting the integrity of justice in recent times. Addressing the convocation ceremony at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), the CJI emphasised the need for, and importance of, forensic science in the digital age.He said, “The digital age transformed not only how crimes are committed but also how truth must be discovered. Cyber intrusions, digital frauds, identity manipulations, and international data crimes challenge traditional investigative models, and they demand a new level of analytical sophistication. In such an environment, forensic science becomes more than a technical discipline. It becomes a protective shield safeguarding the integrity of justice against both technical deception and informational chaos.“The CJI underlined that courts increasingly depend on professionals who can bridge scientific complexity and legal standards, particularly when evaluating electronic evidence or handling technologically advanced disputes. The CJI said, “Your expertise, therefore, serves as a stabilising force, ensuring that technological advancement strengthens rather than undermines the rule of law. This brings me to another crucial aspect that you all must remain acutely aware of: when forensic science functions as a ‘raksha kavach’ in an increasingly technological environment, it does more than resolve individual disputes; rather, it sustains institutional legitimacy itself. The stabilising role you perform in interpreting complex digital evidence inevitably places public trust in your hands.”Concluding his address, the CJI told the graduating students, “As you step beyond these walls, you join a community committed to ensuring that justice in India remains both principled and precise. May you pursue truth with intellectual discipline, apply knowledge with ethical clarity, and ensure that forensic science continues to serve as a ‘raksha kavach’, protecting the integrity of justice in our times.”
