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Union Cabinet approves DNA Technology Bill

The utility of DNA-based technologies, for solving crimes and identifying missing persons, is well recognised across the world.

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The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2018. The proposed legislation is intended to expand the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country. The utility of DNA-based technologies, for solving crimes and identifying missing persons, is well recognised across the world.

"By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure that the proposed expanded use of this technology in the country. There is also the assurance that the DNA test results are reliable and the data remains protected," said the Cabinet note.

The Bill's provision will enable cross-matching between persons who have been reported missing and unidentified bodies found in various parts of the country. It will also be used for establishing identities of victims during mass disasters. The technique was used by Martyrs Foundation in Iraq to ascertain identities of people who became victims of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

According to officials, this legislation will help in a speedier delivery of justice and also increase conviction rate. Forensic DNA profiling is proven value in solving cases involving offences that are categorised as affecting the human body (such as murder, rape, human trafficking, or grievous hurt), and those against property (including theft, burglary, and dacoity). The aggregate incidence of such crimes in the country, as per the statistics of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2016, is in excess of 3 lakhs per year. Of these, only a very small proportion is being subjected to DNA testing at present. It is expected that the expanded use of this technology in these categories of cases would result in an increased conviction rate, which at present is only around 30 per cent.

How It Will Help

It will help in a speedier delivery of justice and also increase the conviction rate. Forensic DNA profiling has proven valuable in solving cases involving offences murder, rape or trafficking

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