WORKING:
- Lab analysis of crime exhibits
- Scene of occurrence examination
- Expert evidence in the courts
- Teaching, training & Awareness programmes
- Research and development activities
- Forensic intelligence – leads in the
investigation of crime.
The scientists
of the SFSL are examining the exhibits sent by the investigating agencies in
different crime cases and submitting their reports. The knowledge of forensic
expertise has not been confined to the four walls of the lab rather found its
utility and use in unravelling mysteries of crime in number of cases by
visiting and examining the scene of crimes all over the state of HP. At times,
it helped in preventing miscarriage of justice and saving lives of innocent
persons. Cases examined include – Burglary, homicide, suicide, road accident,
railway accident, and fire in the buildings, vehicles i.e. arson cases, aerosol
explosions, air crash cases. The reports of lab analysis of crime exhibits and
scene of occurrence examination have been defended by deposing expert evidence
in the courts as and when required / summoned. Noble deeds done in this arena
earned appreciation from the courts as well. Forensic scientists, during the
first few years, have been disseminating forensic knowledge to the Gazetted Officers
of Police, Prosecution, Judiciary and Medical Officers as well. In the year
2008-09, 92 senior officers and officers-on-probation of the Judiciary,
Prosecution and Police, 151 investigating officers of police department were
imparted training in scientific Aids / Forensic Science during the year.
Students from Government College Baijnath, Ayurvedic College Paprola and Punjab
University Chandigarh visited the laboratory and were imparted forensic
knowledge. Forensic Science Awareness Week was celebrated in the laboratory in
which police officers/officials and students were given awareness of Forensic
Science. Services of the scientists of the laboratory have also been utilized
for teaching and training, Punjabi University Patiala, P.U. Chandigarh, Indira
Gandhi Medical College Shimla, and Law Deptt. H.P. University Shimla, Govt.
Ayurvedic College Paprola, H.P and Haryana Police. Not only this, in order to
have forensic awareness amongst the common masses, the Director of the SFSL has
delivered radio talks from All India Radio and Doordarahan Shimla. This
programme has been under taken keeping in view that the public should know do’s
and don’ts at the scenes of crime. It will help protecting scenes of crime till
examination by police and the experts. Director, State Forensic Science
Laboratory, Himachal Pradesh has delivered lectures to the visiting students
from the universities and also arranged visits of other dignitaries. He also
evaluated research papers for a few National and International journals and
also acted as an examiner of Postgraduate classes and PhD. in Forensic Sciences
of a few universities of the country. Sometimes, techniques of routine analysis
do not help in solving forensic problems and then R&D is resorted to dig
out the truth. Also, in an endeavor to have database, the R&D is
undertaken. In addition, the reports of lab analysis and scene of occurrence
examination deliver essential scientific in puts to give leads in the
investigation of crime thereby saving man hours besides putting an
investigation on the right track.
WORKING OF BIOLOGY AND SEROLOGY DIVISION
This division
carried out the examinations of the following types of evidentiary clues in
different crime cases for identification and comparison.
- Blood,
semen and saliva
- Vomit,
faecal matter.
- Tissues
and skin in partially burnt bodies and in dowry deaths.
- Bone
(Animal and Human) Age, sex and stature in respect of human bones.
- Superimposition
cases for establishing identity.
- Hair
(animal & human).
- Feathers.
- Maggots.
- Wood
and Plant Products.
Species of
origin & ABO blood grouping tests are carried out more often than not in
crime cases. However the laboratory has also got the expertise in rare blood
groups and enzyme typing. Cases are being referred to CFSL, Kolkata and CFSL
Chandigarh for DNA typing in gang rape cases (mixed body fluid stains), in
identity problems and in matters of disputed parentage. Of late, necessary
infrastructure in respect of instruments, consumables and training of manpower
has been created for DNA typing and a few cases of disputed parentage have been
examined and reported by the laboratory during the year.
WORKING OF CHEMISTRY AND TOXICOLOGY DIVISION:
This division
is examining the clue materials pertaining to different crime cases in respect
of:
- Chemical
Identification of substances.
- Poisons
of various types.
- Petroleum
products residues in arson cases and dowry deaths.
- Determination
of drunkenness from blood and urine.
- Acids
and alkalis in personal injury cases.
- Grease,
Wax, natural oils and resins.
- Trap
case samples in bribery cases.
- Hooch
tragedy cases.
- Cosmetics
and organic dyes.
Use of
insecticides and pesticides by farmers in the horticulture and on other crops
is enormous in HP. That makes these poisons’ easy accessibility to the common man
and deaths occur by the use of these poisons. Consequently there is a heavy
work load of toxicology cases in the State due to poisoning, and due to viscera
being received for analysis in cases of accidental deaths. Its graph is on the
increase with every passing year. As per existing workload the division needs
to be strengthened by one additional unit of manpower for toxicology cases.
WORKING OF PHYSICS & BALLISTICS DIVISION:
The division
started receiving crime cases for laboratory examination in the year,
1999. During the year maximum number of cases pertained to
Ballistics, cables/wires and fire related cases. This trend has
continued this year too. In Himachal Pradesh single barrel breach
loading (SBBL) and single barrel muzzle loading (SBML) guns are in common use
and as such maximum cases are received involving an examination of these types
of firearms. In cases of fire in buildings, vehicles, an examination of
electric wires is undertaken to ascertain possible cause either by
short-circuiting or other wise to answer the queries of the investigation
agencies. In addition, cables, soil, paint, glass, cut marks, tool-marks and
foot/shoe-prints are examined for comparison. Also the examination of building
materials is undertaken to ascertain the composition and ratio of ingredients
used in the construction material.
This
Division carried out following examinations during the year:
- Soil
examination and comparison.
- Footprints,
shoe prints & tyre marks
- Gun
shot residues.
- Comparison
of Wires.
- Paints
and Glass.
- Tool
marks.
- Firearms
examination.
- Cartridge
and bullets comparisons and firearm identification.
- Building
Materials.
WORKING OF DOCUMENTS & PHOTOGRAPHY DIVISION:
Document and
Photography division started functioning from October 2000. Cases pertaining to
analysis of handwriting, typewriting and computer typing, printed documents,
alteration and addition, exercises especially mechanically erased documents,
obliterated documents, indented documents, frauds, forgeries, fake currency and
burnt documents were examined in the division. The division also carried out
the work of examination of stamps and seals on the paper and wood -logs. The
photography work was done inside the laboratory for the crime case exhibits and
at the scenes of crime at different places. Efforts have been made in ink
examination to establish nature of ink used in the writings. Following works
were carried out by this division during the year:-
- Photography
at scenes of crime.
- Indoor
photography of exhibits.
- Photographic
comparison.
- Photographic
comparison for identification by superimposition.
- Examination
of exhibits in respect of handwriting typewritten scripts, computer typed
scripts, printing forgeries & frauds, security documents and
completely soiled and burnt documents.
- Examination
of stamps/seals.
- Examination
of paper
NARCOTICS & PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG SUBSTANCES DIVISION :
The division
started functioning in November 2006 and perhaps first of its kind in the
northern part of the country being exclusively devoted to the analysis of NDPS
substances. With the availability of facility, cases started pouring in from
different parts of the state. The division is well equipped to undertake
examination of the varied nature of psychotropic cases.
Following types
of cases were examined:
- Opium
- Charas
- Bhang
- Ganja
- Heroin/Smack/Brown sugar
- Poppy straw (Husk)
Other
psychotropic substances are given in the NDPS Act. However psychotropic
substances generally encountered in the cases are given below and testing
facilities for their analysis exist:
- Alprazolam
- Dextropropoxyphene hydrochloride
- Codein phosphate
- Dextropropoxyphene Napsylate
- Buprenorphine hydrochloride
- Diazepam