Chandigarh Police working on online system for medico-legal, forensic reports

The Chandigarh Police are set to introduce an online portal that will allow hospitals and forensic labs to upload key documents, including medico-legal reports, postmortem reports and forensic findings, such as DNA analyses and crime scene reports, thereby speeding up probes.
Mandated under the new criminal laws, the initiative is aimed at eliminating the need for multiple physical visits by police officers to collect these crucial documents, enhancing the speed and efficiency of the investigation process.
Under the existing system, police officers are required to make multiple visits to hospitals and forensic laboratories to physically collect medico-legal reports (MLR) and forensic findings. The tedious manual process often leads to delays in investigations, especially in complex cases involving DNA analysis or other forensic procedures.
“We are often caught in a loop of back-and-forth visits to hospitals and labs to collect these critical reports. This not only delays investigations but also hampers timely justice in many cases. In one of the heinous murder cases, we had to send repeated reminders on file to the CFSL laboratory along with multiple visits,” said an investigating officer.
The new online platform will enable hospitals and forensic labs to upload reports directly to the portal, allowing instant access to investigating officers and courts as well.
The centralised system will provide officers from various police stations access to all necessary reports without the need for physical retrieval. The platform will be designed with stringent security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the medical and forensic reports.
Forensic reports, particularly DNA analyses, often play a crucial role in criminal investigations, especially in cases related to sexual assault, murder, and other violent crimes. MLR are crucial for cases involving injuries, assault or death under suspicious circumstances, and postmortem reports offer vital information in homicide, suicide or unexplained death cases.
A senior officer from the UT police said, “The integration of forensic reports like DNA analysis, crime scene evaluations and seizure documentation into one platform will help officers access critical information faster. These reports are often make-or-break evidence in criminal trials.”
This move is expected to significantly improve the pace at which criminal cases are resolved in Chandigarh. Police are expected to roll out this initiative in the coming months with the help of NIC, with training sessions planned for both police officers and hospital/forensic staff.