2-day national meet of directors of central, state forensic science labs starts in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, May 23 (PTI) A two-day national meet of the directors of Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) and state Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs) commenced at CFSL here on Friday with an objective to strengthen forensic science services according to new criminal laws, an official statement said.

The subject of this meeting is 'Strengthening of Forensic Science Services as per the New Criminal Laws'.

Additional DGP and Founder Director of the UP State Institute of Forensic Sciences (UPSIFS), Lucknow, G K Goswami, was the chief guest at the inaugural session.

According to a statement, Goswami addressed the forensic science community and said this is the era of forensic science.

Earlier, it was the choice of the police to collect the forensic evidence and include the forensic scientists in their investigation but now it has become mandatory, he said.

He emphasised Section 176 (3) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), according to which the SHO (station house officer) will have to mandatorily direct and request the forensic expert to visit the scene of the crime so that there is no case for misinterpretation or tampering of evidence.

He said it is a revolutionary step, for which a big quantum of budget has also been allocated.

"This is the time from evolution to revolution. The government has done its job, now it is our time and opportunity to capitalise on this," he said.

Goswami said forensic scientists should understand the role of police in crime investigation and vice versa.

Rani Bindu Sharma, Director, the Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI), underscored the importance of synergy between police and scientific investigators.

She said the investigators have been relying on scientific evidence from time immemorial.

As tools developed, the importance of scientific evidence collection increased.

"A big role has been given to forensic science in the new criminal laws and it has been given its due importance. If we work together, we will be able to achieve the desired results. The setup required to implement the new laws will be available in all the forensic science laboratories," she said.

Chief Forensic Scientist of the Directorate of Forensic Science Services, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, S K Jain said the directors' meet was being held at a point when the government of India had enacted the three new criminal laws and as a result, the criminal justice system was undergoing a significant transformation.

He further said under the new laws, forensic science has become a key pillar in uncovering crimes.

He encouraged all the participants to work together to make forensic science the backbone of India's criminal justice system. PTI SUN KSS KSS