Patna: In a major push towards scientific and evidence-based policing, director general of police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Tuesday announced nine more Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs) would be made fully functional within the next one to two years, taking the total number of such facilities to 13 across the state.Speaking at the two-day ‘Satellite conference on biological sciences’ here by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), CID, Patna, in collaboration with the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), Ministry of Home Affairs, the DGP said at present four FSLs, located in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Rajgir (Bihar Police Academy), are operational in the state.He added the buildings for nine other regional FSLs are already completed and the appointment of 102 assistant directors and senior scientific assistants has been done, which will help make these labs fully functional soon.The conference has brought together national and international domain experts, scientists from various state and central FSLs and other specialists in the field.Underlining the growing importance of scientific methods in crime probes, particularly after the implementation of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the DGP said for offences punishable with seven years or more of imprisonment, the officer-in-charge must ensure a forensic expert visits the crime spot to collect evidence. “This provision aims to reduce dependence on witness statements and make investigations more reliable and evidence-based,” he said.The DGP highlighted the progress made by the state in forensic infrastructure over the past two decades. “In 2012-13, forensic services were provided in only 700-800 cases when the number of scientists stood at around 30-35. Today, the state is handling nearly 18,000 such cases annually, reflecting a massive expansion in capacity and capabilities,” he said.The DGP expressed concern over the increasing pendency in DNA testing, especially in Pocso cases, where DNA examination has now been made mandatory. Pointing out that Bihar currently has only one DNA laboratory, he urged the DFSS to extend support to set up up three to four such new labs in the state. He suggested that financial assistance could be drawn from the Nirbhaya Fund or other central schemes to address the backlog and ensure timely justice in sensitive cases.He said in 28 districts, where regional FSLs have not been established, construction of buildings for district mobile laboratories has been completed and scientists have been posted to make them operational. The state has also deployed 50 forensic vans across 40 police districts. These mobile units allow teams of scientists to reach crime scenes promptly, identify and collect evidence, and forward them to laboratories for examination, he added.The DGP said to further bolster forensic capabilities, the state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Forensic Science University to establish a campus in the state, with the site selection process currently underway. Another MoU has been signed for setting up Cyber Forensic Laboratories in Patna and Rajgir to effectively handle online and digital crimes, he added.S K Jain, director-cum-chief forensic scientist, DFSS, informed the gathering that there are currently seven Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in the country, with eight more expected to be set up soon. “The Union govt has approved two key schemes — the Nirbhaya scheme for strengthening DNA and cyber forensics in state labs, and the Scheme for Modernisation of Forensic Capacities (SMFC) for procuring mobile forensic vans and equipment,” he said.Jain added: “Under the SMFC, Rs535 crore has been sanctioned for mobile vans, of which Rs360 crore has already been released to 22 states to purchase 223 vehicles.”The conference was also attended by senior officials, including G K Goswami, director of the Uttar Pradesh Institute of Forensic Science; additional director general of police (CID) Parasnath; and Hinjay Kumar, director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Patna.
