Evidence Act to be amended: Moily

In a major boost to rape and murder investigations, the Centre has decided to restructure the Indian Evidence Act and the Police Act to keep pace with advancement in forensic sciences and its increased scope in probing crime. Harish V Nair reports.

In a major boost to rape and murder investigations, the Centre has decided to restructure the Indian Evidence Act and the Police Act to keep pace with advancement in forensic sciences and its increased scope in probing crime.

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"I'm conscious of the fact that Indian Evidence Act is a nearly 150-year-old law which is not responsive to present day advancement in medical and forensic sciences and its scope as an aid to criminal justice system....we are contemplating complete restructure of the Act", law minister Veerappa Moily said.

He said the full potential of forensic and medical sciences was yet to be realised in India while it is widely used world over in rape and murder cases, inheritance, disputes in autopsy and post-mortem.

Addressing a conference on Legal Medicine and Forensic Science organised by Amity University, Noida, he said police too needed to be empowered in this direction and it was time local police stations had dedicated mobile forensic units. "...Every police personnel needs to be trained in collecting forensic evidences", he said.

Moily said the Indian Evidence Act has been a stumbling block in instances such as narco-analysis, "which the Supreme Court ruled was illegal", and various aspects of DNA tests.

"We need to nurture our nation by nurturing the judicial system with the current developments in the field of science and technology," he said.