Patna: Underlining the increasing role of scientific investigation in criminal cases, Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar on Tuesday said that the state has currently four functional regional Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) while nine more such FSLs will be made fully functional in next one to two year time frame.
“At present, four FSL are functional in the state. They are located at Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Rajgir (Bihar Police Academy). The buildings of nine other regional FSL are ready. Besides, appointments of 102 Assistant Director and Senior Scientific Assistant have also been completed…. We are confident nine more such FSLs will be made fully functional in next one to two year time frame,” Kumar said.
DGP Kumar was speaking at a two day “Satellite Conference on Biological Sciences” organised by State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), CID, Patna in collaboration with Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), Union Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.
The conference is being held at Police Headquarters Sardar Patel Bhawan in the state capital where national and international domain experts, scientists from all the state FSLs and Central FSL and other experts have gathered to participate at the workshop.
S K Jain, Director-cum-Chief Forensic Scientist, Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), New Delhi, G K Goswami, Director, Uttar Pradesh Institute of Forensic Science, Parasnath, Additional Director General of Police, CID and Hinjay Kumar, Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Patna present on the occasion.
The role of scientific investigation has increased significantly following the passage of BNSS which mandates for offences punishable by seven years or more imprisonment, the officer-in-charge must ensure a forensic expert visit the crime scene to collect evidence, Kumar said while asserting that the state has witnessed development of forensic infrastructure on a large scale in the state especially in past two decades.
“We could facilitate the FSL services in barely 700-800 cases in 2012-13 but now we are giving FSL services in 18,000 cases. The number of scientists were merely in double digit, say 30-35 in 2013….There has been massive development of forensic infrastructure in the state,” he said and added that Cyber Forensic Laboratory will be set up in the state.
NEEDS MORE DNA LABS TO REDUCE DNA PENDENCY IN POCSO
Stating that pendency of DNA testing has been increasing in the state, Kumar said that it has been made mandatory to carry out DNA testing in POCSO cases and there is only one DNA laboratory centre in the state which is not able to cater to the requirements.
“I would urge the DFSS to extend its support to the state police in setting up three-four DNA laboratories in the state. The DFSS could provide financial support either from Nirbhaya fund or its any other fund,” DGP said.
The construction of buildings for District Mobile Laboratories have been completed in 28 districts where regional FSL has not been established yet, Kumar said adding that they have been made functional following the posting of scientists there.
A total of 50 forensic vans has been available in 40 police districts of the state, he said adding that these forensic vans visit the spot which is inspected by a team of scientists. They identify exhibits, seal and send the evidence collected from the scene of crime for testing at FSL, he added.
MOU SIGNED FOR NATIONAL FORENSIC SCIENCE UNI CAMPUS & CYBER FORENSIC LAB
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for establishing the campus of National Forensic Science University, DGP said and added that the process of site selection is currently underway.
Besides, MOU has also been signed with National Forensic Science University for setting up one each Cyber Forensic Laboratory at Patna and Rajgir.
RECOUNTS BIHAR’S OLD CONNECTION TO SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION
At the outset of his address, Kumar dwelt at length about history of how forensic science developed in Bihar which played a leading role in the field. Kumar talked about as how forensic science has developed right from anthropometry days to establishing world’s first finger print bureau in Kolkata in 1897 and then FSL at Patna.
The state’s FSL was set up in 1963 at sprawling campus of 7.5 acres on which police headquarters, Sardar Patel Bhawan, has been built now, he said.
Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), New Delhi, Director-cum-Chief Forensic Scientist S K Jain said that there are seven Central FSL in the country and eight new CFSL will be set up in the country very soon.
In order to strengthen, forensic ecosystem in the country, the Central government has approved two schemes for the purpose. Nirbhaya scheme and Scheme for Modernization of Forensic Capacities (SMFC).
Under Nirbhaya scheme, the centre is strengthening state laboratories in DNA and Cyber Forensic, Jain said adding that SMFC is used for purchase of mobile forensic vans and major and minor equipment.
“Best practices should be adopted for collection, preservation and handling of exhibit so that it could reach lab for examination. We have sanctioned Rs 535 crore for mobile forensic vans. Out of this, Rs 360 crore has already been released to 22 states to buy 223 mobile vehicles,” he said.
