New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India, in order to ensure effective prosecution leading to a conviction in cases of sexual assault on women, has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) on collection and processing of scientific/forensic evidence.’ The SOP, prepared in consultation with medical experts, has been sent to the States/Union Territories for issuing instructions to all the concerned officers for implementation.
The SOP has been divided into seven sections of key operating procedures. It includes victim care, promptness and examination, collection of samples, collection of blood and urine samples, genital and anal evidence, handing over samples to Forensic Science Laboratory and general guidelines.
The Commission has come out with this SOP after it observed that in many cases of alleged rape and sexual assault, there is a substantial delay in medical examination, collection and processing of scientific/forensic evidence of the victim. The exhibits are forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory, FSL after much delay and by that time, the samples deteriorate/autolyse and become inappropriate for examination. This delay adversely affects the investigation for effective prosecution leading to a conviction.
These Standard Operating Procedure, if implemented in letter and spirit by the concerned authorities can help in improving the system of medicolegal investigation of cases involving sexual assault.
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