DNA and Face Matching Systems

• 26 Oct 2023

Over a year after the Criminal Procedure Identification Act (CrPI) was passed by Parliament, the Indian government is ready to roll out 'DNA and Face Matching' systems in 1,300 police stations nationwide.

Key Points

• Enabling Law: The CrPI Act, passed in April 2022, grants police and central investigative agencies the authority to collect, store, and analyze physical and biological samples, including retina and iris scans of arrested individuals.
• Standard Operating Procedure: Although the Act and rules do not explicitly mention the collection of DNA samples and face matching, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has informed State police officials that these measures will be implemented in around 1,300 locations across the country.
• Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Involvement: The MHA has established a Domain Committee comprising representatives from State police, central law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders to facilitate the Act's successful implementation.
• A technical sub-committee is responsible for preparing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for capturing DNA as a measurement.
• Database Management: The NCRB will maintain the national-level database, and States have been tasked with identifying suitable locations for the Measurement Collection Unit (MCU) to be established.
• Current Practices: Some police stations continue to record measurements, such as thumb and finger impressions and photographs, according to the old format and are also using the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).
• NAFIS Integration: NAFIS, a project maintained by NCRB, includes fingerprint details of over 1 crore people, both accused and convicts, from around 1,300 police stations. This database is being integrated with the Criminal Procedure Identification Act.
• Replaced Act: The CrPI Act replaced the 100-year-old Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, which had limited scope and primarily covered finger impressions, footprints, and photographs of convicted prisoners and specific categories of arrested non-convicted persons.
• Misuse Prevention: NCRB emphasizes safeguarding the databases to prevent misuse, limiting access to designated officials in real-time.
• Challenges: Challenges include training and resource allocation, particularly for internet connectivity and operating costs, which states are expected to bear.
• Technological Standards: NCRB insists that the tools and systems used by police must meet technological, legal, and forensic standards and be accredited.
• Initial Opposition: When introduced in Parliament in March 2022, the CrPI Act faced opposition from some members who deemed it "unconstitutional" and a threat to privacy.