On Tuesday, the Delhi Police made the decision to require forensic investigations into all offences with sentences of more than six years.
According to a senior officer of the union ministry of home affairs (MHA), with the release of the standing order, Delhi has become the first state where forensic inquiry has been made mandatory in all serious instances.
“After the union home minister’s directions, Delhi has acted swiftly and has become the first state to implement the MHA’s directions,” said the officer, on condition of anonymity.
“The decision to make forensic investigation “compulsory and legal” for such offences has been taken to make the conviction rate higher, on the lines of recent directions of the Hon’ble Union Home Minister. Delhi Police has already integrated the criminal justice system (ICJS) with forensic science investigation and has also collaborated with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar to train and guide investigating officers to make watertight cases against accused persons,” said a Delhi Police spokesperson.
Sanjay Arora, commissioner of police, declared that each district has a separate mobile team van in Delhi.
“In addition to that, one forensic mobile van shall be allotted to each district to provide scientific and forensic assistance on the spot to IOs whenever any need arises. These vehicles shall be fully-equipped with scientific tools and a sufficient number of forensic assistants shall be detailed in each such van,” it stated.
The decree further stated that these forensic mobile vans would not fall under the administrative supervision of the police but rather would be a separate organisation that would answer to the legal system.
“However, they shall visit the scene of crime whenever called by the SHOs or the IOs of the police stations or crime branch or special cell or any other investigating agency of Delhi Police,” it said.
“By making forensic investigation mandatory in all serious crimes, we will really increase the conviction rate and will have fewer chances of human errors. It will also bring a more professional approach to the investigating officers as well as the prosecutors,” said the officer, asking not to be named.