The Kalina forensic laboratory is expected to send to the police the DNA test reports, which will confirm if the skeletal remains found near a Navi Mumbai lake are those of Sandhya Singh, before the end of the week.

“We are almost finished with the DNA tests. We will try to send the report to the police on Thursday itself, or latest by Friday,” said Dr MK Malve, director of the laboratory.

The remains had earlier been sent to JJ hospital for cleaning, and were sent to the forensic laboratory last week. “We were asked to give these tests priority, so we analysed the remains as soon as we got them,” Malve said. The DNA from the samples was checked against that of Singh’s son to see if there was a match.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Mumbai crime branch had taken over the investigation into the case though it had not received a written order.

The delay was because Sanjeev Dayal, director general of police, Maharashtra, was on leave, sources said.

However, Satyapal Singh, police commissioner, on Wednesday said verbal instructions had been issued and crime branch unit six, in collaboration with other units, had begun its investigation.

The unit has started verifying the evidence and report of the case prepared by the Navi Mumbai police, but have not yet zeroed in on any possible theories regarding the murder, sources said.