Punjab bureau of investigation to go digital soon

In a step towards improving police functioning in criminal justice, the bureau of investigation will now have an electronic evidence management software that will enable the investigators to maintain and access all electronic evidences related to a particular case.

The bureau of investigation, the Punjab Police’s wing that deals with crime, is in the process of implementing the software which, as per claims, once implemented will not only bring more transparency in maintaining electronic evidences but is also expected to enhance the quality of investigation.

According to senior bureau of investigation officials, the primary objective of the software is to digitise data in the form of electronic evidences in any case related to CDs/DVDs/hard disk/mobile phone audio and video clips, CCTV footages, pen drives, emails and memory cards submitted during the process of investigation.

“With the implementation of the module, record of complainants will be maintained on the server and can be used for better analysis. Earlier, the data wasn’t available in real time as it was maintained manually. Now, it will be just one click away for the investigation officer,” states the document related to the idea conceptualised by the bureau of investigation.

Users and investigation officers will be authorised to view the data.

“Since electronic evidences have become a main tool in solving almost every case and proving the charges in courts, managing these in the new management software will be a giant step in bringing transparency in criminal justice system in Punjab,” said bureau of investigation chief and ADGP LK Yadav.

Yadav is supervising the implementation of the software for which police in all districts through its crime wings have also been asked to bring electronic evidences attached with all cases on record files after their forensic investigation.

The bureau of investigation is said to have hired a private vendor to implement the software and a screen is also being installed in its branch in the police headquarters so that people who visit there with claims that their electronic evidences have not been considered can see the evidences being registered in the software.

The officials claimed that during maintaining of the record of the electronic evidences, it will be ensured that material evidences are placed on record of the police file or during preliminary enquiry are examined by the investigation officer and during investigation of the FIR, opinion of forensic lab is duly taken.

“It has been found that many times the complaints pour in that the electronic evidences attached in the cases have been tempered with or are misplaced or are not deliberately attached in the case files with an aim to bring undue favours to a particular party. This won’t be possible now as everything will be maintained transparently,” said another senior bureau of investigation official.