Delhi Police has become the first police force in the country to make collection of forensic evidence mandatory in crimes punishable by more than six years.
Key points
- The order was issued on August 30 hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Police Headquarters here.
- Since Delhi is a Union Territory, its police force is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora issued a “standard order” to all police units which stated, “In order to take conviction rate higher and integrate the criminal justice system with forensic science investigation, it has been decided to use forensic tools mandatorily in all cases where punishment provided is more than six years.”
- According to the Delhi Police order, apart from the force’s mobile crime vans in the districts, a forensic mobile van shall be allotted to each district to provide scientific and forensic assistance on the spot whenever any such need arises.
- 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.
(Source: The Hindu)
