Govts faulted for not focusing on forensics

Blaming successive governments for failing to establish quality forensic labs across the country, former MLA and founder of Lok Satta People’s Movement Jayaprakash Narayan pointed that this was resulting in lower conviction rates. He said that though the government spends an average of Rs 10,000 crore daily, it never believed in setting up forensic labs in every district of the country. He estimated that it would cost a one-time investment of Rs 1500 crore for establishment and upkeep of good forensics labs in every district which is vital for the justice system.

He was speaking at the Ninth Foundation Day celebrations of Truth Labs on Saturday on the theme ‘Society, Truth and Justice’.

Citing the example of Sunanda Pushkar case, he said that he was disgusted to know that the DNA analysis of the wife of a former Union minister took almost an year.

Improve convictions

“The conviction rate in the 1960’s was around 65 per cent. Today it is just one/third or around 30 per cent. If there is no confession from the accused, then the conviction rate is less than 10 per cent. This is not how a system should function. Beating up the accused is not the only way to solve a case,” he said while laying emphasis on forensics.

Delivering the keynote address former Governor of Tamil Nadu PS Ramamohan Rao said that the importance of private labs has grown because of the step-motherly treatment meted out to state labs which are also undermanned by the government. He said that it was also a business opportunity for those who want to start private forensic labs as forensics play a major role in the dispensation of justice.

Former Director General, Vigilance and Enforcement, AP C. Anjaneya Reddy and Chairman AP Electricity Regulatory Board Justice G. Bhavani Prasad spoke about the need for radical reforms in the existing justice delivery mechanisms in the country.

Founder and chairman Truth Labs Gandhi PC Kaza said that he had been able to serve the nation through his forensics laboratory as they work closely not just with the top government investigating agencies but also with the courts. He said that they have clients in every sector thanks to the credibility earned over the years.