Maharashtra: New DNA testing centre to start at Aurangabad
With DNA analysis facilities being established at Pune and Aurangabad, the burden over state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Kalina in Mumbai, is likely to reduce by around 50%.
With DNA analysis facilities being established at Pune and Aurangabad, the burden over state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Kalina in Mumbai, is likely to reduce by around 50%. This could also mean that forensic evidence in cases will be handed out faster in the city cases.
While the facility in Pune has already been started, the new facility at Aurangabad is likely to start in the next few months. The Aurangabad facility, which was approved recently, would take care of seven districts. As per officials, they would be able to hand over the forensic evidence within a week in every case.
The officials at the Kalina FSL have observed that the number of cases for DNA test have come down since the Pune lab was inaugurated in October last year. The facility in Pune covers six to seven districts in the Western Maharashtra.
As of now, around 1,000 cases of DNA tests have been pending at the Kalina lab. “Around 200 new cases come every month and it seems after the new testing facility, which will start soon at Aurangabad, at least 50% burden on the Kalina lab will reduce,” said MK Malve, director FSL.
Officials said nowadays the police officers are asking to conduct DNA test in maximum cases and so the facility should be provided in regional forensic labs. DNA analysis has become the more crucial, especially in the cases of rape of minor girls, who would unable to identify accused in courts.
For instance, in the Kandivali rape case in September last year, in which five-year-old girl was brutally raped, it took three months for the DNA report and though the accused was arrested, the investigations in the case were slowed down because of the delay.
Anil Desai, police inspector Kandivali police station, said, “If we get DNA reports quickly in rape cases, we will be able to file chargesheets earlier.”
A senior official speaking on the condition of anonymity said that these days all the cases involving child sexual assault have Protection of Children from sexual offences (POCSO) act invoked which make DNA testing compulsory.
50% load on Kalina lab likely to reduce
There are in all six forensic labs in Maharashtra – only Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune have DNA testing facilities
The burden over state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Kalina is likely to reduce by around 50% with DNA analysis facilities at Pune and Aurangabad
The facility in Pune has already started and the one at Aurangabad is likely to start in the next few months
Vans with experts needed: D Sivanandan, former director general of police
“All forensic facilities should be available in all range of Maharashtra not only DNA test facility. Also the government should provide fully equipped van in every district along with the forensic experts so if any crime happens they should immediately visit along with the police and collect all the forensic evidence from the spot. Then there is no loophole in the investigation. Like in Sunanda Pushkar case it takes around a year to find out the reason. If all the facilities are available in the forensic lab in each district the results in the case will come fast”: D Sivanandan, former director general of police