The official said that they were planning to start DNA testing facilities in Amravati, Nanded and Kolhapur in 2019.
To ensure a faster breakthrough in criminal cases, the state government is planning an expansion of its forensic testing infrastructure. Sources from the state home department said they are planning to launch DNA testing facilities, which will cover all the eight forensic science labs in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra has a state-level forensic science laboratory in Mumbai and seven across the state (Nagpur, Pune, Nashik, Amravati, Nanded, Kolhapur, and Aurangabad). At present, DNA testing facilities are available at Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Nashik and Aurangabad.
The official said that they were planning to start DNA testing facilities in Amravati, Nanded and Kolhapur in 2019.
Apart from analysing evidence in cases of sexual assault, DNA profiling is also used to identify unidentified and mutilated bodies, in paternity suits and offences like murder and attempt to murder. However, the increasing number of cases sent for DNA analysis causes a huge backlog, affecting investigations by enforcement agencies like the police.
"The Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories (DFSL) has sent a proposal to us. The new facilities will decrease the load on the laboratory in Mumbai, which gets cases from districts in divisions that are not covered under the current DNA testing laboratories," he added.
DFSL official said they had a backlog of around 1,700 DNA analysis cases, of which, a majority were related to sexual offences and crimes versus minors. A huge chunk of these cases are pending in Mumbai itself.
In 2017, the number of cases sent to the division for scrutiny of forensic evidence was 4,500. The annual number of these cases being sent to forensic science laboratories is rising by around 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
Each unit will require around Rs 6 crore for equipment and will be staffed by 15 people.
The state government has sent a Rs 26.50 crore proposal to the Centre for setting up a modern DNA analysis lab in Mumbai and for recruitment of staff. This new genetic analyser will be earmarked only for investigations of sexual offences and those registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012.
ON A FASTER TRACK
- Each unit will require around Rs 6 crore for equipment and will be staffed by 15 people
- The govt has sent a Rs 26.50 cr proposal to the Centre for setting up a DNA lab in Mumbai
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