The Delhi Police has become the first police force in the country to make collection of forensic evidence mandatory in crimes punishable with a sentence of more than six years.
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The Delhi Police issued the order on Tuesday, hours after Home Minister Amit Shah visited the police headquarters. Since Delhi is a Union Territory, Delhi Police is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora issued a “standard order” to all police units that said, “In order to take conviction rate higher and integrating the criminal justice system with forensic science investigation, it is decided to use forensic tools mandatorily in all cases where punishment provided is more than six years.”
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It said that the order was meant for setting out guidelines for the use of forensic tools in offences attracting punishment of more than six years by all Investigating Officers of Delhi Police.
The order said that the Delhi Police has its own Mobile Crime Team van in each district and in addition to it, one Forensic Mobile Van will be allotted to each district to provide scientific and forensic assistance on the spot to Investigation Officers, whenever need rises. These vehicles shall be fully equipped with scientific tools and enough forensic assistants shall be detailed in each such van, the order said.
“These Forensic Mobile Vans shall not be under the administrative control of the police but shall be an independent entity responsible to the court of law. However, they shall visit the scene of crime whenever called by the Station House Officer or any other investigating agency of Delhi Police,” the order stated.
Speaking at a Zonal Council meeting in Bhopal on August 22, Mr. Shah said the government was going to overhaul the British-era Indian Penal Code, and one of the changes being considered was making collection of forensic evidence compulsory in crime cases punishable by more than six years.
“Era of third degree torture is over. Custodial torture has roots in colonial India. Conviction of criminals can be achieved based on forensic evidence that is irrefutable,” Mr. Shah said.