Bill in LS for use of DNA technology to crack tough criminal cases
New Delhi, Aug 9: A bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday for expanding the use of DNA-based forensic technology to crack difficult criminal cases such as rape, murder and human trafficking and establish identities of unclaimed dead bodies and victims of disasters. The proposed law will support and strengthen the justice delivery system in the country.
Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan introduced the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018, which provides for mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories.
Addressing the concerns of some opposition members, he said the bill has been examined by an expert committee.
The bill has provisions to enable cross-matching between persons who have been reported missing and unidentified dead bodies found in various parts of the country and for establishing the identity of victims in mass disasters.
It seeks to ensure that the DNA test results are reliable and the data is protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights.
The bill seeks to establish a national DNA data bank and regional DNA data banks which shall store and maintain the DNA profiles in accordance with provisions related to use and access of information, its retention and its expunction.
Forensic DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) profiling is of proven value in solving offences related to human body such as murder, rape, human trafficking, or grievous hurt, besides theft, burglary and dacoity.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report 2016, aggregate incidence of such crimes in the country is in excess of three lakh per year.
Officials said that at present a very small proportion of these crimes are subjected to DNA testing.
They said expanded use of DNA testing technology in these categories of cases would result not only in speedier justice delivery but also in increased conviction rates, which at present is only around 30 per cent.
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Assam to lift all cases against Koch Rajbongshis in Foreigners' Tribunals: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Guwahati, Apr 4 (PTI): The Assam cabinet has decided to lift all cases pending against people from the Koch Rajbongshi community in the Foreigners' Tribunals, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.
They will also no longer carry the tag of 'D' or doubtful voters, he said.
''There are 28,000 cases pending in different Foreigners' Tribunals in the state against people of the community. The cabinet has taken a historic decision of lifting the cases with immediate effect,'' Sarma said at a press conference here after the cabinet meeting.
The government believes that the Koch Rajbongshis are an indigenous community of the state and they are an inextricable part of ''our social and cultural fabric'', he asserted.
The people of this community are poor and have suffered a lot over the years, he said.
''They will no longer carry the tag of foreigners or ‘D’ voters,'' the CM said.
Foreigners Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies, particularly in Assam, established to determine if a person residing in India is a "foreigner" as defined by the Foreigners Act of 1946, based on the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964.
These tribunals are designed to address matters related to citizenship and the presence of “foreigners” in India, specifically focusing on cases where someone is suspected of being an illegal immigrant.
There are 100 Foreigners’ Tribunals across Assam.
The Koch Rajbongshis have a sizeable presence in Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and parts of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, and they demand Scheduled Tribe status.
