Plays crucial role by furnishing clinching evidence to Police resulting in many convictions

By S.T. Ravikumar

Visits to crime scenes by forensic experts and the number of cases handled by the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Mysuru are reaching unprecedented levels. In 2023, the RFSL played a pivotal role by furnishing crucial evidence to the Police in 5,058 cases and has assisted in many convictions.

Following directives from the Centre, forensic investigation has become mandatory in all crimes punishable by more than six years of imprisonment. Of the 5,058 forensic cases handled in Mysuru last year, 1,293 were biological forensic, 2,813 toxicology cases, 820 chemistry cases, 131 question document cases, 1 psychology case and 5 photography cases.

Biological forensics analyses biological evidence like blood, hair, tissue, DNA, etc., to link suspects to crime scenes or victims and used in homicide, assault, sexual assault and other cases involving bodily  fluids or tissues. Toxicology cases deal with poisons, drugs  and their effects on the body. It helps determine the cause of death in poisoning cases, analyse drug use in crimes and identify performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

Chemistry cases apply chemical principles to analyse various evidence like explosives, accelerants, fibres, paints, etc., and are used in arson investigations, bomb threats, hit-and-run cases, and analysing fraudulent products.

Question document cases examine documents to determine authenticity, authorship, alterations and forgery. Used in fraud investigations, document tampering cases and verifying wills or contracts.

Psychology cases apply psychological principles to understand criminal behaviour, assess witness credibility and evaluate mental competency. It includes polygraphs, narcoanalysis and brain oscillation while photography cases document crime scenes through close-up photos.

Timely collection of exhibits

Dr. Chandrashekar, Deputy Director of RFSL, told Star of Mysore about the significance of forensic investigation in bolstering Police investigations. He stressed that efficient and timely collection of exhibits is paramount, as it leads to more accurate and reliable scientific examinations, strengthening the cases against suspects in a Court of Law.

He highlighted the challenges faced during investigations, such as the decay and contamination of biological samples and the risk of physical evidence being tampered with or lost at crime scenes due to public activity. To mitigate these challenges, forensic experts provide crucial expertise in identifying and preserving evidence at the scene of a crime.

The forensic team plays a vital role in guiding Investigating Officers (IO) in handling evidence effectively. “Samples are collected and transferred to the IO along with detailed instructions on preservation and submission to the RFSL for examination,” explained Dr. Chandrashekar.

He emphasised the importance of presenting conclusive evidence to secure convictions in Court.

Mysuru RFSL in 2020

The Mysuru RFSL was established in 2020 and in Bengaluru, it was established in 2006. Dr. Divya Gopinath is the Director of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Bengaluru.

In the Mysuru office, there are five Assistant Directors and the team comprises senior scientists who have obtained training at the National Forensic Sciences University, Gujarat.

To be able to tackle the increasing number of crime scene visits, the RFSL has procured a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory.

“The forensic analysis reports are typically submitted to the Police within a month of their completion. However, in cases of dowry death, these reports are prioritised and sent within seven days. For particularly sensitive or confidential reports, such as those involving high-profile cases or sensitive information, they are transmitted directly to the judges through secure online mechanisms. This ensures that the reports maintain their integrity and confidentiality without being passed through multiple hands,” Dr. Chandrashekar said.