Srinagar, June 25: Asserting that incidents like DNA fudging in Pathribal fake encounter have to be prevented, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Monday said that efforts were on to streamline forensic investigation in the country.
 The officials of MHA and Directors of Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories were addressing media persons ahead of 22nd All India Forensic Science Conference here. The three-day conference will begin here Tuesday.
 Although Union Minister of Home Affairs P Chidambram has expressed his inability to attend the conference, but Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh is expected to deliver valedictory speech at the conference on June 28. Dutch forensic experts are also scheduled to participate in the conference.
 Joint Secretary MHA (police modernization) Baghwan Shankar said forensic science has to play vital role in criminal justice system in the India and added that procedure of sample collection in the country was not up to the mark.
 “There are fewer convictions in the country due to absence of good evidence. And it is evidence where the role of forensics comes,” he said and added that concrete scientific evidences can lead to good conviction rate.
 The issue of fudging of DNA samples in Pathribal fake encounter was also raised by media persons on the occasion. However, Shankar avoided direct reply to the query and said that MHA is committed to make investigations foolproof.
 “We have to address this issue so that these things shouldn’t happen again,” Shankar said.
 “It was the CFSL which exposed DNA fudging in the case and it is the police which sends the DNA samples to CFSL and scientists cannot be blamed for it,” said one of the directors present in the conference.
 The Joint Secretary also said that MHA funds state FSLs for creation of the infrastructure, but it depends upon the states how to utilize the funds.
 Speaking on the occasion, Director State FSL Inayatullah Khan said that Government of India is liberally funding JK for upgrade of infrastructure in the state.
 “MHA has approved five district mobile units at the cost of Rs 1 crore each and state of the art building of FSL is also coming up here,” he said.
 Khan admitted that FSL is facing shortage of the staff but added that proposal for engaging contractual staff is lying with Home Department.
 “We have to rely on CFSLs for DNA sampling,” Khan added.
 About the conference, Khan said that about 300 delegates from India and abroad are participating in the annual event.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST