Delhi Police to get 30 hi-tech mobile labs for forensic probes

Two days after the Delhi Police, on the directions of the ministry of home affairs (MHA), decided to make forensic investigation mandatory in all cases, where the punishment provided is of more than six years, senior police officers said the force will procure 30 mobile forensic vans, equipped with all essentials that are needed for minute examinations and preservation of exhibits.

According to police sources, each van, costing nearly ₹50 lakh, will be on the ready at all times with at least 14 basic investigation kits that are needed for biological forensics, gunshot residues and narcotics.

“The labs on wheels will also have eyepieceless stereo microscope, mini refrigerators, DSLR cameras, gensets and floodlights, besides laptops and front/rear CCTV cameras. The mobile labs will help carry out minute biological examinations and proper preservation of exhibits. The most important aspect of these vans is that they will safeguard the sanctity of exhibits,” said a senior officer of the crime branch, asking not to be named.

The officer further said this effort, aimed to integrate the criminal justice system with forensic science investigation, will certainly take up the conviction rate in serious crimes in Delhi. “At present, in terms of average crime per year, Delhi has a high number of cases, in which the punishment is determined to be six years or more. While the national capital records 4,910 kidnapping, 4,530 thefts, 4,393 cheating and 1,950 rape cases every year, the number of burglary and robbery is 3,110 and 2,096 respectively,” he said, quoting the latest National Crime Records Bureau figures.

“The forensic lab van will help in determining child abuse, defensive wounds on a victim, gunshot wounds, injury patterns in domestic violence victims, self-inflicted injuries, sexual assault and semen persistence, while the biometric devices in the van will ensure the identification of the fingerprints of the criminals, from the objects present at the scenes of crime. The apparatus in these mobile forensic vans can also help in fire investigations, fraudulent transactions using bank cards, lie detection, footprints, voice analysis and digital imaging,” he said.

A second officer from the special cell said of these 30 vans, one van will be allotted to the 15 districts, while the six ranges (including the transport range) will get two vans each. “The crime branch will be given two mobile forensic vans while the special cell will get one. These lab on wheels will also have one forensic expert each and a driver who will work in eight-hour shifts,” the second officer said, asking not to be named.

“The forensic experts and van drivers will be provided by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar. While the initial one-time set-up cost for these vans is approximately ₹15 crore, the annual recurring cost of project will be around ₹10 crore per year,” he said.