GUJARAT, JAN 23: In a significant address at the 5th International and 44th All India Criminology Conference held at the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, delineated a comprehensive vision for the transformation of India’s criminal justice system. The conference, taking place against the backdrop of recent legislative reforms, serves as a milestone in ushering in a new era for India’s approach to crime and justice.
Shah underscored the momentous decision to overhaul laws that were in place for over 150 years, stating that India is now embracing a forward-looking paradigm in criminal justice. The new legislation addresses two paramount concerns – the imperative for timely justice and the urgency to enhance the conviction rate. Notably, technology is positioned as a pivotal tool to advance these objectives across the spectrum of the criminal justice process.
A key announcement was the mandatory requirement for Forensic Science Officers to visit crime scenes with punishments of seven years or more. Shah elucidated that this move aims to streamline investigations, simplify legal proceedings, and ultimately contribute to an elevated conviction rate. The Minister also expressed confidence that, within five years, India’s criminal justice system would stand as the most modern globally.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership was lauded by Shah, who credited the government with three pivotal achievements in the past five years. The formulation of a new National Education Policy, the expansion of the NFSU, and the revamping of the criminal justice system through three groundbreaking laws were highlighted as significant strides. Shah projected that, under Modi’s guidance, the nation would witness the emergence of over 9,000 scientific officers and forensic science experts annually in the next five years.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done more than 50 path breaking works in every field in the last 10 years. He said that the Modi government has done 3 significant works in this field in the last 5 years only.
“After 40 years, the Modi government came up with a new National Education Policy which is completely based on Indian education, open to the whole world and will also provide a global platform to our children. And by making changes in the criminal justice system after 150 years, we have made three laws new,” Shah said, adding if these three changes are seen together, there can be a comprehensive change in education, forensic science and the criminal justice system.
Addressing the theme of the conference, “Forensic Behavioural Science,” Shah acknowledged the emerging importance of this field. He posited that Behavioural Science has the potential to complement strict administration and a robust judiciary in preventing crimes. The integration of behavioural science into primary education was proposed as a proactive measure to curb criminal tendencies from their inception.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in the last 75 years after independence, India has become the world’s largest democracy and no one in the world can question the faith of the Indian people towards democracy.
He said “when India completes 100 years of independence in 2047, we will have to move forward on the basis of the reforms done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in every field to fulfil the resolve of leading India in every field”.
He said that in such a time, there are four challenges before our criminal justice system – to become the most modern police system by boldly accepting technology in the entire system without compromising on the principle of basic policing, to not allow the use of technology to diminish the importance of human presence, to identify hybrid and multi-dimensional threats and prepare the entire network to protect our systems from them, and, to make our criminal justice system the most modern criminal justice system in the world and to adopt forensics in it as a bold feature.
In addition to inaugurating the conference, Shah announced the establishment of a Digital Forensic Excellence Centre to facilitate capacity building and investigation. He envisaged this initiative as a crucial step towards preventive, predictive, and protective policing, positioning forensic science as a vital component in understanding criminal minds and behaviors.
Looking ahead, Shah outlined four overarching challenges facing India’s criminal justice system – the infusion of technology without compromising fundamental policing principles, maintaining the significance of human presence amidst technological advancements, identifying and countering hybrid threats, and positioning India’s criminal justice system as the most modern worldwide.
Shah emphasised that the Modi government’s approach is rooted in integration. The seamless fusion of the criminal justice system, technology, and forensic investigation was presented as a monumental task that has been met head-on. The Minister expressed confidence that the recent laws, combined with a dynamic education policy, would foster comprehensive changes in education, forensic science, and the criminal justice system within the next five years.
Amit Shah said that for the first time, the basic Indian concept of justice has been given place in the three new laws brought by Modi ji- Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. He said that the purpose of the old laws was to protect British rule, but these three laws of Modi ji have been made with a pan-Indian vision. Shah said that now after the introduction of these new laws decision on FIRs will be ensured in 3 years. In these laws, we have adopted dimensions ranging from ease of justice to simple, consistent, transparent and timely.
Home Minister said “if we study behaviour well and coordinate it by giving it a place in primary education, then we can stop the making of a criminal. Forensic science cannot serve the society in isolation, unless we integrate forensic science with all the stakeholders in the judicial process, we cannot get its benefits.”
Shah said “forensic science should be used in investigation, prosecution, justice system and now the time has come to go one step further by adopting it in education”. He said this is an important event in the direction of preventive, predictive and protective policing.
An in-depth study of the criminal mind and behaviour and its strategic use in preventing crimes from happening in the coming days and preventing criminals from rising up will be a great service to the entire world. He said that a Digital Forensic Excellence Centre has also been inaugurated today to help in capacity building and investigation.
Shah also extended an invitation to the youth, urging them to actively participate in realizing Prime Minister Modi’s vision of placing India at the forefront of the world in forensic science.
