236 DNA profiling cases related to sexual assault against women are pending in India: MHA

Sharing the information in Rajya Sabha, Mishra said that to strengthen the DNA Division and Cyber Forensic in State Forensic Science Laboratories, Rs 175.32 crore have been released by the Ministry of Home Affairs from the financial year 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme.

New Delhi: As many as 236 DNA profiling cases related to sexual assault against women are pending for examination in the seven Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) under the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS) across India, said Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday.

Sharing the information in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said that DNA examination facilities are available at seven CFSLs located at Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bhopal, Pune, Assam, and Delhi.

“A State-of-the-art DNA Analysis and Research and Development facility has been set up at CFSL, Chandigarh, which is fully equipped with the latest Forensic DNA tools and equipment. This Centre has State-of-the-art independent units for solving cases related to Sexual Assault and Homicide, Paternity / Maternity, Human Identification, and Mitochondrial DNA. Every effort is made in the CFSLs to examine the cases on priority,” he said.

Mishra said that to strengthen the DNA Division and Cyber Forensic in State Forensic Science Laboratories, Rs 175.32 crore have been released by the Ministry of Home Affairs from the financial year 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme.

“Increasing the capacity of forensic laboratories is a continuous process depending on the emerging requirements,” said Mishra when asked whether the existing infrastructure of the State, as well as Central Forensic Laboratories, is enough to meet the demand for timely disposal of DNA examination, especially in sexual assault and child abuse cases.

The maximum number of DNA profiling cases (101) related to sexual assault against women in Assam are pending examination, followed by 79 in Chandigarh, 44 in Kolkata, 11 in Pune, and one in Hyderabad. Interestingly, Delhi and Bhopal don’t have any pending cases for examination.