DNA fingerprinting cost is deterrent in solving crimes

DNA Fingeprinting a technique that helped investigators to solve many mysterious cases in the past has taken a back seat with the crime solving agencies finding it difficult to shell down huge bills, leading to low conviction rates.

Any police department opting for a DNA fingerprint requires to pay Rs 5000 per sample. As the technique requires at least three more samples to compare with the original one, the cost per case reaches around Rs 20,000.

“It’s a cycle, the volumes in India are not so large, the reason behind it is the reagent that we use in DNA profiling which needs to be imported thus making the whole exercise expensive. The costs will come down only if there is indigenisation and that won’t happen till the volumes increase,” said J Gowri Shankar, Director of the Centre for DNA Finger printing and Diagnostics (CDFD) here.

He said that looking at the low conviction rate (2 to 5%) on all India basis, the use of DNA Fingerprinting will certainly improve the criminal justice system by nailing the culprits with irrefutable evidence, i.e. the DNA.  The DNA which is present in each individual helps to catch the accused and the fugitives wherever they are in the world through the CODIS system, as the protocol used by the CDFD is compatible with any other international agencies. “It helps to catch a criminal even after he or she leaves the shores of India and hiding in any place on globe,” Gowri Shankar added.

In order to train more technicians, CDFD recently signed an MoU with the Orissa government to establish a DNA testing facility in the Institute of Life Sciences in Bhubaneswar. The laboratory is expected to assist the government in solving cases of sexual offences, identifying dead bodies and missing persons.

The CDFD is also setting up a Genetic Medical Centre at the Nizam’s Medical Institute (NIMS) here to diagnose genetic disorders like Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia.   At present there is only one such facility in Lucknow that trains technicians in limited numbers. With a tie up with the NIMS the CDFD wants to offer DM in Genetic Medicine, which can be opted by an MBBS holder after completing MD.