Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of Karnataka campus of National Forensic Science University at Dharwad, today .He stressed on the need to increase conviction rate in the country and integrating the criminal justice system with forensic science investigation. He said that if the police have to stay two steps ahead, conviction rate has to be increased and with the use of scientific techniques, NFSU can help in this field.

Speaking after laying the foundation for an off-campus facility of National Forensic Sciences University, Shah said, “the world of crime is changing very fast. Counterfeit currency trading, Hawala transactions, border infiltration, narcotics, cybercrime and crime against women. Criminals are moving ahead of the police and until the police do not remain two steps ahead of the criminals, prevention of crime is not possible.”
He said that if the police have to stay two steps ahead, conviction rate has to be increased and with the use of scientific techniques, NFSU can help in this field.

The minister said that unless the investigation is scientifically based on forensic science, the culprit cannot be punished in the court. “For this, it is very important that the officers of Forensic Science should be first to reach the crime scene in all the crimes with punishment of 6 years or more,” he added.

He said that Karnataka is the second state after Delhi which has made the visit of forensic science experts mandatory in urban areas in all crimes which have more than 6 years punishment.

Shah said that when India is progressing in every field, our challenges have also increased and we have to understand that according to these challenges, we also have to prepare our experts.
Noting that as India is progressing the challenges will also increase, Shah said there is a need to prepare experts in accordance with those challenges.

There are three parts for law and order, he said, one is practical law and order which is managed by police, crime investigation in which forensic science has a big role, and then strengthening the criminal justice system.

“Forensic science evidence will be given importance in our justice system, so we are amending the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act to strengthen it for giving punishment to criminals based on scientific evidence,” he said, adding that it is no more the time for “third degree methods”.

Shah said that if we have to make forensic science investigation mandatory in every police station across the country, then we need 8000 to 10,000 forensic science experts in 9 years. Before the establishment of the National Forensic Science University, the Gujarat Forensic Science University had a capacity of 500 and this goal could not be achieved.He said that after opening the campuses of National Forensic Science University gradually in all the states of the country, we will definitely get 10000 experts who will serve the country in strengthening the criminal justice system for many years.

Noting that the foundation has been laid for the ninth off-campus facility of National Forensic Sciences University in Dharwad, Shah said, in this campus of NFSU, subjects relating to forensic science like cybersecurity, digital forensics, artificial intelligence, DNA forensics, food processing, environment forensics, and agriculture forensics, will be taught till the expert level.

Amit Shah said that every district of Karnataka is a cultural heritage not only for this state but for the whole of India. He said that even before 1857, Karnataka had contributed to the freedom struggle and many personalities from here have inspired freedom fighters from all over India. Shri Shah said that the literal meaning of Dharwad is – the resting place in a long journey and today with the Bhoomipujan of the campus of National Forensic Science University, it will go two steps further and add more glory to the contribution of Karnataka in the field of education in the country.