Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra on Thursday stressed the need for the use of "fingerprints" during the investigation, prosecution and punishment of crimes in this era when criminals have been adopting various means of crime.
"In the new prosecution system, instead of oral evidence, the investigators have to push such evidence in the court which are more authentic. The fingerprint is a method under which we not only identify the criminals but also find out their previous records of crimes. As nobody's fingerprints match, it should be used during the investigation of crime as well as at a time of prosecution and till the punishment of the criminals in court," said Mishra while addressing 22nd All India Conference of Directors of Fingerprints Bureaux.
Participating in the two-day conference being organised by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) here in the national capital on Thursday, the Minister said there will be a special emphasis on National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) apart from various other subjects that will be discussed in the event.
Mishra said, "We know how difficult it is for investigators to prove the crime in courts. Fingerprints play a key role in the identification of criminals. At a time where criminals devise new ways of crime, it is the responsibility of investigators and prosecutors to find some unique methods. Use of fingerprints is among those ways that will be helpful."
Giving an example of thumb impression being used in old age for unique identification of a person, the Minister said the first office of Fingerprint Bureau was established in 1897. "The fingerprint department later came under the domain of IB and then CBI. Now, the department comes under the domain of NCRB since 1986," said Mishra.
"As per my information, over 80 lakh fingerprints are available with us in the data. NCRB has been handling these data and saving it in a proper manner to identify the criminals for some time now," said Mishra.
The Minister said the system will help investigators in the prosecution of the criminals, and that the government's focus is to streamline it all across the country.
He stated, "All states' fingerprint bureaus have been integrated with the help of NAFIS and we are now moving ahead to add all districts in this system. It will help investigators to check the details of any criminals from the database of any police station."
Mishra further said, "If we want to be USD 5 trillion economy, we should be free from crimes".
"It cannot be said that crime will be ended completely but we should have control over it. Don't let the criminal flourish. We should have control over crime and criminals," added the Minister.
( With inputs from ANI )
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