The Department of Home Affairs (MHA), has approved projects to strengthen DNA analysis, cyber-forensics and related sites in 23 countries / UTs under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Rajya Sabha. The Bill seeks to identify the identity of certain categories of people including victims, offenders, suspects, defendants, missing persons and an unknown person who has died.
Purpose of DNA technology
In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, he said the Department of Biological Sciences in the Department of Science and Technology has developed a ‘DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill to provide, regulate the use and use of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology for the purpose of identifying certain categories of people, including victims, criminals, suspects, defendants, missing persons and unknown dead persons.He said the bill being considered is in the process of establishing DNA data banks across the country to store genetic information.
The minister said that to ensure quality and consistency in forensic testing, including DNA-based forensics cases, the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS) at MHA has released a quality manual and biological procedures and DNA division and guidelines. to gather legal evidence in cases of sexual harassment.The Minister informed that the draft Bill under consideration has a system in place to establish DNA data banks across the country to maintain DNA records.
To improve capacity, 23,233 Investigation Officers (IQs), Prosecuting Officers (POs) and Health Officers have been trained in the collection of legal evidence in sexual assault cases and common sections in the kit to collect evidence of sexual harassment. The State of the Art DNA analysis laboratory was also established by MHA at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Chandigarh.
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