Top forensic lab to come up near Pune

The Union home ministry’s directorate of forensic science (DFS) has set the ball rolling for setting up a hi-tech Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) on a 25-acre campus at Wadgaon Maval, about 25 kms from Pune, along the Pune-Mumbai highway. Apart from the forensic lab, the campus would house the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents (GEQD) unit, which plays a pivotal role in the unravelling of high-profile white-collar crimes. The existing GEQDs have played a key role in the scrutiny of the fake stamp papers in the multi-crore Telgi scam. Under the 11th Five-Year Plan, the MHA has made a provision of Rs 200 crore for the DFS to implement 26 projects aimed at modernization of forensic science applications across the country. “Consolidated funds worth Rs 42.60 crore have been set aside for the CFSL/GEQD near Pune and similar facilities in Bhopal and Guwahati,” said Tripathi. As of now, there are four CFSL/GEQD facilities —in Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Delhi. The last one directly falls under the CBI.