Probe agencies to now switch from postal mails to emails

FSL awaits nod to allow digital signatures on forensic reports to be sent to police stations.

Investigative agencies across Maharashtra have finally decided to wake up to the power of technology and move on from using postal services to emails to communicate with each other. The Mumbai-headquartered Maharashtra Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) will soon send forensic test reports to far-flung police stations across the state via email and not traditional post, if their proposal to allow digital signatures on reports is approved by the state government. This will come as a relief to both the FSL and the police.

Explaining the delay in adopting e-mail to send reports, an official said so far the main problem had been the fact that the original hard copy of a forensic report bearing the signature of the section head was required by courts during trials. “Now, however, we have sent a proposal asking for approval to send the report to the police station with a digital signature of the section head instead of the actual signature,” the official said. However, since the court may still ask for the original hard copy, the FSL will also send the report through post as an additional measure.

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A senior official pointed out that for reports with digital signatures to be appreciated as evidence, the law ministry at the Centre would need to amend the law that details what can be considered as evidence during trial. “Till such time, we can at least accelerate the process of sending reports to aid the investigating agencies,” he said.

“The process of creating digital signatures has already been initiated so that once the approval comes in, the FSL can start e-mailing reports right away. This will also help FSL in clearing the backlog of uncollected forensic reports lying with them,” he added.

This measure was initiated after a recent meeting under director general (Legal and Technical) Satish Mathur with section heads from across Maharashtra. In view of the conviction rate being as low as 15 per cent last year, the state had created the new post of DG (Legal and Technical) as a link between police, forensic and prosecution lawyers hoping for better training of prosecuting agencies to gather evidence.

Earlier this week, there was some confusion after the skeletal remains of a body dug up by Pen police in 2012, now believed to be that of Sheena Bora, could not be located for a while. Pen police claimed that they had sent the samples for forensic testing to FSL, which however said they had not received these samples. It later turned out that the samples had been sent to JJ Hospital.

mohamed.thaver@expressindia.com

Mohamed Thaver

Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More

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