INTRODUCTION
In criminal investigation forensic evidences involves a high-quality range of biological and physical evidences which will be apply to attention the fact of a criminal case. Also, includes various types of evidences like DNA evidences, trace evidence, documentary evidence, ballistics evidences, trace evidence and many more. The application of forensic evidences also beneficial to determination the identification of suspects, significant objectives evidences which led to supports witness’s testimony and link suspects to a criminal scene.
The Indian administrative agencies of criminal justice system fully believe on investigative experts and courts to find the reliable truth. In criminal investigation forensic evidence also become an important part in this investigation process, complementary customs and traditional evidences like as eyewitness and confession. Scientifically collection of evidences such as DNA profiling, fingerprinting, digital evidences and testimony have also changed how evidences is complemented, ensuring both reliability and accuracy in criminal related cases.1
The joining of forensic evidences or the tracking court of justice has also become rapidly increasingly concentration in modern legal system, in other hand new techniques plays an important role in strength investigative exactly and trustworthy. As the legal outlook evolves, the applicability and judicial interpretation of forensic evidence are personalized to rigorous inspection, explores the utility for standardization methodologies and protocols. This exploration of forensic evidences emphasizes its instrumental in shaping the pursuit for reliable justice in standardized society.2
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Ancient and Medieval period
The application of forensic technologies in Indian system can be experience as early as ancient times. In historical texts like as the Arthashastra by Kautilya (Chanakya) written in 4th century BCE, try to suggest a procedure of criminal investigation and gathering of evidences. The text highlights the essential collection information, make use of spies, and comprehension human behaviour, attach a foundational legal framework for criminal investigation practices. When the medieval period arrival, especially during Mughal rule, legal proceedings started to applicable more sequence and systematic steps of investigation. The Fatawae- Alamgiri, a valid legal code invented in the 17th century, identified the importance of forensic evidence in presenting guilty or innocent. so, that the forensic techniques or methodologies remained elementary, often trustworthy in eyewitness accounts and confessions, which were rapidly pressurize.
Colonial Era and the Birth of Modern Forensics
The fact of renewal in the subjective of forensic science in Indian criminal system starting during in British Colonial period in the 19th of Century. To addressing of western scientific techniques and methodologies signed a systematic turning point, but in 1856 establishment of first forensic laboratory in India in Calcutta by Britishers firstly focused on chemical statistics and toxicology. In the year 1897 is vital time in the Indian history of forensic science, as it introduced the Indian Evidence Act, which lead to the government legal framework evidences present in Indian courts.
Also, the Indian evidence Act witnesses of admissibility of various scientific methodologies and forensic expert testimony, also provide an upcoming technique for the development of Indian forensic science. The late 19th and early 20th Century explains the briefly introductory of modern forensic methodologies, like as forensic fingerprinting.
Post-Independence development
Followings India’s independence in 1947, the sphere of forensic science carryon to evolve. In 1960 establishment of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has been highlights milestone, deliver or centralized opportunities for the statically of forensic evidences whole of the Indian system. The Central Forensic Science Lab (CFCL) has since large range of forensic disciplines, like as DNA analysis, forensic ballistics and documentary evidence. This code also leads down proceedings for the preservation, collection, and presentation of forensic evidences in Indian courts, ensuring the forensic technologies were in systematically & accordingly integrated into the Indian investigates.3
CLASSIFICATION OF FORENSIC EVIDENCES
There are so many types of forensic evidences which produce in Indian court and they are bases on the variety of forensic evidences like as fingerprinting, drugs, fibre, hair, blood, firearms etc. tracing from the crime scene, they are defined into:
1. Fingerprint Evidence: It comprise of fingerprints of both hands of victims or the accused and involving patent and latent fingerprints as collection of evidences.
2. Biological Evidence: Saliva and Blood (Swaps of blood stains or wet blood) are the popular most types of the biological evidences other also can be included such as seminal stains, perspiration and urine etc.
3. Drug Evidence: There are various types of drug samples which included as drug evidences such as Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Cocaine and other along with drug paraphernalia spoons, pipes etc as collected accessories, found at the crime scene of offence.
4. Weapons Evidence: In forensic evidences, weapon evidence is related to firearms like as assault weapons, handguns, rifles, revolvers etc. supplying of quality of bullets including fragments of bullet, fired protectives, used casings and non-fired bullets: blades including knives and gunshot residue.
5. Trace Evidence: In trace evidence, evidences include the small quantity evidence, in which covers like as cigarette, hair, fibres, glass, asbestos, tobacco etc.
6. Other items: Electronic/ printed evidence, impression evidence, natural material genetic objects and many more.4
FORENSIC EVIDENCE VS. EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY
Prior research has designated that various types of forensic evidences are conserve as more exact and accurate than other. Research analysis the CSI effected similarly testing DNA and forensic fingerprinting evidences. DNA and forensic fingerprinting evidences was maintaining as the two main accurate evidences of forensic technologies out of the total technologies fragmented, and these two types of forensic evidences valid in the President’s Council of experts on science and technology (PCAT) statically report. In additionally, forensic evidence in criminal investigation there are various types of forensic evidences which are beneficial presented during the Indian court proceedings, but how commonly interest of forensic evidence is maintain comparison to eyewitness testimony.
Numerically research have experienced that jurors conserve both the evidences eyewitness testimony and forensic evidences to be independent forms of forensic evidence for the trial of court decision making. When in court proceedings beneficially related the forensic evidence it up to the eyewitness testimony is the most considered convincing evidence produced to jurors and has been resulted the historically adopted the golden standard.
Apart from that eyewitnesses testimony who can be more most proximate, or therefore much more relatively, chain with the accused continuing the commission of the crime, should be maintain as much more exact and accurate in their explanation of a accused than bystander eyewitnesses: indeed these such types of witnesses familiarity connected with the accused has been shown to accurately highly the likelihood for more confidence in guilty opinion, as compared to the unknown was a bystander eyewitness testimony. So, the experts often rely that the eyewitness identification or opinion to be much more trustable than they are actually in reality. But eyewitness mistake is one of the most leading reason of non-judicial convictions, also with an approximately one out of three eyewitness testimony making a wrongful identification.
In fact, testing the ratio of relatively strength of forensic evidences has comparison to other various types of evidences. So, the forensic evidences have comparison to other various types of evidences. Forensic evidence and the eyewitness testimony have both subjective outcome on the range of trusty in guilty, with the forensic evidence extract up levels of reliability. These types of reflection can be grater for much serious in offences, suggestions that the presentation of DNA evidences can be led to greater experts particularly in guilty opinion if their presentation in judiciary proceedings much more severe or injurious crimes. Thus, the forensic evidence specially in DNA evidences tends to maintain as much more exact and give more weightage comparison to eyewitness testimony for mock experts when introductory their opinion and more confidence in their advice.5
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
The determination and criminal investigation of offences rely heavily up to on forensic evidences. Nonetheless, technological collected data which is helpful to the criminal judiciary system is grounded on a numerical of trustable principles, purpose it compulsory and relevant in the court of law: they are follows-
1. Individually: A single genetic object has it own different identity. Which cannot be duplicated or transformed by any man or by natural nature. Take any fingerprints, for instance.
2. Locard’s Principle: Sometimes every time 2 main identification came into contact, and traces are mutually exchanged. In this type of condition, the Locard’s exchange principle can be refers to this.
3. Law of Progressive change: When the passing of timing, every object changes, and everything will changes. As time goes one, the criminal scenes, tangible evidences, or the offender criminals all change.
4. Principles of Comparison: This principle is only applicable when the two common natural object compares and exchange the exact characteristics. Also, this comparison principle highlights that how essential is to produce comparability specimen and samples for comparable analysis.
5. Principle of Analysis: Correction of collected samples and packaging techniques must be firstly selected in sequence to technological forensic evidences during trials in a systematic manner.
6. Law of probability: This principle organized the probability that a special occasion will occur in a actual manner among various ways of possibilities in which principles can may occur or may not occur with equally ease.6
ROLE AND IMPACT OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Forensic science is a mainspring of the criminal judiciary system in India. Methodological physical evidences collected from the crime scene of the time of crime part of this proceedings. The actual time, scenes and wrongdoer of the related crimes all can be good acknowledge with its remedy. Forensic evidences related the victim of case, the offender, and the crime scene itself can also be found, which remedial in the criminal investigation of the offences in its wholly.
In new modern era, in criminal investigation or convictions trust hardly on forensic evidence collected by the experts and the forensic science. In investigation there are various types of essential functions that forensic evidences play a crucial role in judicial investigation. Mainly, these such types of function involving presenting and collection of proof from a crime commission and the presentation of voluntarily elements and samples of a related crime, attaching the offender to the victim or the crime scene, examination of any person who is linked with a crime, removal of innocent person, helping the testimony of witness, and supporting to institute the main occasion that transpired. In criminal investigation Forensic Science Methodologies helps to examined and identify the preliminarily essential elements of the offence, introduce the suspects, weightage the offender testimony and discharge the innocent one.
Construct the forensic database to requirable the vastly completion in criminal investigation is a main part of this procedure experts are established by means of statistics pertaining to offenders or forensic profiles making by many types of organization and Institutions, like as the Automated Fingerprints Identification System (AFIS), the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and last one is the National DNA Index System ( NDIS). In criminal investigation forensic science is assumed forensic profiles testimony and it is mentioned in Bhartiya Shakshiya Adhiniyam (BSA).
According to Pragati Ghosh (2018) if anyone who’s fundamental knowledge in the forensic field and the best substantial ability to incorporate that understanding to produce an expert’s advice on the related case is assumed an expert. Pantangi Balarama Venkata Ganesh Vs. State of Andrapradesh is a related case when the decedent was shot or killed by the accused and their associates, the witnesses clarified that the assail anted was wounded when the gunshot rang out or underlying that the offender was donning in a pink shirt. But the investigators found a pink blouse covering with the blood spot with their investigation. In sequence to identifying who was responsible person, the police collected the samples and scenes it to a forensic laboratory for opinion and DNA testing. Additionally, collection of other pieces of evidences, findings of the DNA testing led to the police to reliable that the offender was guilty. The reason of guilty because they were helped to identify or determine the wrongdoer and helped to provide the forensic related evidence for a related crime, forensic criminal investigation is vital to the succeed other criminal investigative efforts.7
ROLE OF INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES IN FORENSIC SCIENCE IN INDIA
In criminal investigation forensic science plays a vital role in modern India, producing a relation between laws & regulations enforcement agencies on the judicial system. Indian investigative forensics agencies like as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), State Police Departments (SPD), and last Special Investigative Team (SITs) believes hardly in modern forensics science to secure exact, accurate and reasonable criminal investigation.
These such investigative agencies aware in deep co-relation with Central forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) and State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs) to determine forensic evidence and produce technological & subjective backed results that help to stand up in court of justice. The investigative Agencies often transferred to as Indian superior criminal investigative agency, has specifically forensic digits equipped to taken special evidences such as DNA profiling, Digital forensics and Fingerprinting analysis.
Similarly, the NIA which firstly handle or deal Cyber Terrorism related crimes, digital evidences, integration forensic science for identification explosives and biological samples left from spot of the crime scene. For the time, State police force and SITs quickly trust on State level Forensic Laboratory to tackle cases related from Heinous crimes like Homicide and Sexual assault to Cyber terrorism and financial frauds.
The main role started of investigation agency from the crime committed scene, where agencies are answerable preserving and securing of forensic evidence to control contamination. Sequencing of collection samples, analysing of forensic evidence and labelling of evidences in forensic labs are the main and important steps for identification the integrity of a criminal investigation. Mainly, crime scene investigation (CSI) Team, work under the facilitator of criminal investigative agencies, detailed motes, sketches and precisely gathering documents from crime scene through video or photographs. Firstly, forensic evidence is gathered, agencies co- relate with forensic jurors for specifically analysed, involving DNA testing, toxicology, digital forensics and ballistics examination. These collaborations of evidences ensure and secure the expert scientific collected evidence aligns along with the investigative opinion, providing clarification to court during trials. Somehow, investigative forensic agencies as rapidly increasingly amalgamation advanced and modern technologies into their functions, which includes Automated Fingerprints Identification Systems (AFIS), Cyber Forensic Technology and DNA database.
Another Forensic Agencies ole is crucial in investigation process, also these such types of agencies face various types of challenges in effectively for utilizing for forensic science. But after all the study the main challenges are the absence of infrastructure in various State Forensic Laboratories in limited functions of resources obstruct timely analysed. Additionally, in forensic laboratories there is a lack of storage of new dated forensic experts and investigators in India creating block chain in the criminal justice system.
Other challenges are the types of delayed in forensic reports submission causing late in evidences analysis, suddenly impacting court proceedings and forensic laboratories aften faced heavy backlogs. Furthermore, judicial commission often lead to misconduct and procedural leakage, correlation gaps between law enforceable agencies and forensic experts. These such types of inefficiencies sometimes chances result in the un-trustable and non-admissible of forensic evidences during the court trials, low weightage the prosecution’s case.
After addressing such types of challenges, various improvements and suggestions can be reform. Weightage or strength of forensic modern infrastructure by investing in state-of-the-art new technology and upgrading the digits of forensic laboratories across whole over the country is a primary step. Another challenge is to provide the special training institution for police officer, investigative team, and forensic jurors can also ensure good offence scene managements and collection of evidences. Correlation between academic researchers, investigation agencies and forensic academics can further carry innovative and effectively. Modern technologies and methodologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and also blockchain can innovation of forensic investigators by producing real-timing insights and ensure to secure and admissible data storage.8
FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR FORENSIC EVIDENCE IN INDIA
The application of Forensic Evidence in criminal investigation in India has the potential to markable enhance the clearness and accuracy of the criminal investigation proceedings. But, in recent times there are various types of barriers and challenges that important to addressed to motional handling this potential. First priority for the new modern investigation is to enhance or improve the quality and specialization of practice in Indian system. This priority also can be enhancing through the awareness and establishment in big stage of national guidelines and technologies, as well as the upgradation of rigorous training program and special certification seminar for forensic experts.
Moreover, there is also requirement to increasing the invest in research programs and awareness to understand new methodologies or technologies for investigating agencies. Additionally, is to conquer the various challenges which are associate with the reliability of forensic evidences produce during court trials. This priority has cleaned and continuing legal authorities for the trustable forensic evidence as well as the increasing the best training for ensuring the admissibility and reliability of forensic evidences. Finally, in forensic investigation there is a mainly require to increase and invest resources for forensic investigators in India. In this can be includes increasing the ratio of trained forensic investigations experts, new technologies and equipment, and upgradation of forensic facilities. Correlation between the government established agencies and private organization can also helpful to leverage new resources and expertise many efficiently addressing these such types of challenges.
CONCLUSION
In Indian criminal investigation, forensic evidences are important part of the judicial system. It also offers an unbiased and scientific foundation for identifying a suspect’s innocent or guilty, determining criminals, and establishing the actual case facts. Additionally, forensic evidences ensure or helping that fair justice is served, the inclusion of evidences in Indian forensic criminal investigation related cases encourages statically and clear transparency in the system. The scientifically of evidences is maintained and encourages even if any error margins are identified. Rather, it also acknowledges the legal system by ensuring that unbiased judgement is rendered with the fully awareness and transparency of the new advantages and disadvantages of the a availability of evidences.
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Footnotes
1. Pradhyuman Chauhan, ‘Role of forensic evidence in securing convictions: A critical evaluation of Indian practices forensic evidence in India’s criminal justice system: Role, legal framework, challenges and reforms’ Medico legal (2025).
2. Ankita Pandey and Shami Roy, ‘Forensic evidence and the quest for justice: legal and technological perspectives’ 11 IIJETIR (2024).
3. Kaushtub Mishra and Amit Singh, ‘Forensic evidences in Indian courts: analysing the role of investigation agencies in justice delivery’ 4 (2) International Journal of Civil law and legal Research 143 (2024).
4. Sambeeta Dabral, ‘Forensic evidence in criminal justice system in the light of Daubert standards’ 3 Indian Politics &Law Review Journal 3 (2018).
5. Panel Ling and Jocab Kaplan,; The importancre of forensic evidence for decision on criminal guilt’ 61 Science & Justice 150 (2021).
6. Kunal Kunwat, ‘The role of forensic evidence in Indian criminal investigation’12 IJCRT (2024).
7. Mohammad Rashid, ‘The impact of forensic evidence on criminal justice system: A socio legal study in the Indian courts’ 13 IJAER (2024).
8. Praveen Chauhan and Vaishali Patel, ‘A comprehensive study of forensic science in the Indian legal context: Challenges, opportunities, and implications for criminal investigation and trials’4(2) International Journal of Law, Justice and Jurisprudence 310 (2024).