Need to increase conviction rate in India, says Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday stressed on the need to increase conviction rate in the country and to integrate the criminal justice system with forensic science-based investigation, in order to set right the law and order situation in India.
Highlighting that the country has been making strides in the field of forensic science, he said India will have the largest number of forensic science experts in five years. “I can tell the countrymen that, if any country in the whole world will have the largest number of forensic science experts in five years, it will be in India. Because India’s National Forensic Sciences University is the first such unique university in the world,” Shah said.
Speaking after laying the foundation for an off-campus facility of National Forensic Sciences University here, he said the crime world is changing at a fast pace and that criminals have gone far ahead than the police.
“Unless police are two steps ahead of the criminals, prevention of crime is impossible… we have to increase the conviction ratio,” Shah said.
Unless the basis of the investigation is not scientific, not on the basis of forensic science, we will not be able to get punishment for the culprits in the court, he added.
Further suggesting that for all such crime scenes of offences that will attract punishment of more than six years, the forensic science officer must reach first, Shah complimented the Karnataka police for implementing it in urban areas, and said it will be helpful in crime detection and conviction.
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.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, several ministers from the state government, legislators, top officials of Home and Police departments were present at the event.