Forensic probe all set to boost conviction rate in serious crime cases

With BNS making such investigation mandatory in serious crime cases that attract seven years' imprisonment or above, more and more criminals are likely to be brought to justice in the next five years

India’s abysmal conviction rate for crime, especially serious crimes (offences that attract seven years’ imprisonment or above), could see improvement soon, maybe within the next five years. The reason? The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) that replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in July, 2024, now makes forensic investigation of the crime scene mandatory in cases of serious crime. This requirement will likely put more pressure on Indian police, for no case that has a seven-year prison term can go to court now without a forensic report; but it will also dramatically alter the way police currently investigate cases. Slipshod investigation