NEW DELHI: Keeping in view the special importance given to forensic evidence after implementation of revamped criminal laws --- Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bhartiya Sakshya Sanhita (BSS), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has developed and operationalised an e-Forensics IT platform, which is connected with 117 forensic science laboratories across the country, officials said on Monday.
The officials said in order to further strengthen ‘DNA Analysis and Cyber Forensic Capacities’ in the State Forensic Science Laboratories, all projects, (30) which were received from the state governments and the U-T administrations, have been given Rs 128.28 crore out of the total Rs 245.29 crore.
As part of its effort to further expedite forensic analysis and reduce backlogs in laboratories, the MHA has set up three new Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories (CFSLs) at Bhopal, Guwahati and Pune and upgraded the existing CFSL at Kolkata with latest state-of-art machinery and equipment.
The Centre also approved setting up of six additional NCFLs in the country at the CFSLs Chandigarh, Delhi, Kolkata, Kamruup, Bhopal, and Pune with an outlay of Rs 126.84 crore.
A senior official said, “So far, 32,524 IOs, prosecutors and medical officers have been trained to deal with forensic evidence. The MHA has also distributed 18,020 ‘Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits’ to the states and the UTs.”
The official said that besides the initial campus of the national Forensic Science University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and Delhi, “an in-principle approval has been provided for setting up of five additional off-campuses of the NFSU in Goa, Agartala, Bhopal, Dharwad, and Guwahati”.
However, these are currently operational from transit campuses till the construction of permanent campuses, the official said, adding that the Union Cabinet also approved setting up of “National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme”, which inter-alia includes the component for nine additional campuses of the NFSU with financial outlay of Rs 1,309.13 crore from financial year 2024-2025 to 2028-2029.
Meanwhile, to ensure quality in forensic tests, the MHA’s Directorate of Forensic Science Services has issued a set of guidelines including ‘Quality Manuals for accreditation of laboratories as per NABL standards (ISO 17025)’.