His major experiences include ex-Director; Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai, before that he was deputy director, Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai, India, and Regional Forensic Science

Aurangabad and Pune, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Aurangabad.

The books published by him include ‘Identification of pesticide and Drugs of Forensic Interest’ Krishna V. Kulkarni, Dhananjay V. Mane, ‘Identification of pesticide and drugs of forensic interest by using modern analytical method’ Krishna V. Kulkarni, Dhananjay V. Mane, Chapter is Published in “Insecticides/Book 3”

He was the head of several research projects such as ‘Study of certain enzyme and lipid profile in acute myocardial infarction’ which was completed in Govt. Medical College & Hospital Aurangabad and submitted to Dr. B.A.M. University, Aurangabad. Second major project was ‘Computerizations of Forensic Science laboratories by using Fox-pro’ which was completed in Govt. Polytechnic, Aurangabad and submitted to Maharashtra Board of Technical Education, Mumbai and another Research Project on ‘Identification on Pesticide & Drug of Forensic’ interest by using Modern Analytical Method was accepted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad for Award of Ph.D. Degree in Chemistry. He has done trading in forensic sciences at renowned institutes such as National Gel Technology Workshop-Organized by Medical College, Nagpur, National Seminar & Workshop on Recent Advances in Forensic Science and Forensic Medicine-Organized by High Court Legal Services Committee, DFSL New Delhi and FSL Mumbai. He has been Committee Member at National level Forensic Science and Appointed as a Chairman, Toxicology Manual Preparation committee, All India level by Ministry of Home Affair, New Delhi. He has been a Member of Advisory Committee -Govt. Institute of Forensic Science, Aurangabad. He was the President of the Technical Committee of All Govt. Forensic Institute in Maharashtra G.R.- Higher & Technical Education Dept. Purchase comm. He was the Member of Board of Study in Forensic Science – Dr. Dr. Babasaheb. Ambedkar Marathwada. University Aurangabad, Member of Board of Study in Forensic Science – Mumbai University and Subject Expert for conducting Interview for admission to Ph.D. Forensic Science.

What inspired you to join the Forensic domain during those early days, when there wasn’t much awareness about Forensics in the country? How do you feel about your decision now?

I have completed my education in Govt. Medical College Aurangabad, Maharashtra M. Sc. Medical Biochemistry and Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology. After that I worked in government medical college. By that time, I developed interest in forensic Science through various cases solved by forensic Science lab send by our college and reading interesting cases in Science Direct magazine. I applied for the post of Scientific Officer in forensic lab and fortunately with my efforts I could sail through it and started my career in forensic. Today I feel very completed and satisfied about the work I have done till now and even wanted to pursue further life in same field too.

Were there any instances, when you were called for inspecting the crime scenes by the IO/Police Unit? How challenging was it to deal with it apart from the lab work?

Yes, there are many instances of crime scene. There were many high-profile cases too. One of the best crime scenes I faced was 26/11 in Mumbai, Mansi Deshpande case at Aurangabad and there is very long list, two important cases given below:

Murder and Rape of I.T. Professional in IT hub of Maharashtra Pune: Repeated cases of rape and murder in Maharashtra new IT hub Pune have become curse to a place with civilized and cultural history. The Modus operandi have become almost identical. The drives of tourist vehicles having criminal background spot the innocent young I.T. professionals offer them a lift on their way and do the heinous crime.

The present case also bears same history. The articles seized were undergarments of victim seat cover of the car used and duster cloth bearing stains. The DNA profiling of semen stains on seat cover and cloth was successfully performed. The control blood of one of the four accused was found to be matching with the semen stains.

Murder and Rape of incant teenager in developing city Aurangabad: Developing cities like Aurangabad are facing problem of increasing number of serious crimes. Above mentioned crime took place in sophisticated locality of Aurangabad city. The victim was innocent young girl. The accused who was habitual robber intruded in the flat, where the victim was staying with her brother. The brother had night shift hence the girl was alone. As the accused was stealing the valuables the girl woke up. The accused realized that the young girl was alone. He took the advantage of situation and raped her. To hide the first crime, he murdered her with sharp edged weapon. The investigating authority caught the accused on Suspicion. The vaginal aspirate of victim girl, the bed sheet at the crime scene and T-shirt of accused were attempted for DNA analysis. The DNA profile from semen stains on bed sheet and from vaginal aspirate matched with that the accused. Also, the DNA profile of blood of deceased girl was found to be matching with DNA profile of blood stains detected on T-shirt of accused.

What challenges were encountered while dealing with and processing the evidence submitted to the forensic lab by the police and various other government agencies during the early days when awareness about forensics was not much in the country?

Forensic examination needs details of exhibits and they must be in proper and intact position before examination. Because of this thing there were many challenges like:

• Lack of professional training to policeman who collect evidence directly through crime scene.
• Preservation of exhibits and evidences as cold storage and transport is a major issue.

After the lab examination of the case evidence, you might have been called in the court of law on many instances to testify about a particular case either from the Prosecutor’s/Defendant side. What challenges were encountered by you while giving your opinion in the court where the people lacked the scientific understanding about Forensics?

I have called in the court of law on many instances to testify about a particular case either from the Prosecutor’s/Defendant side. So many times, I have seen that not only people but also advocate from criminal side have lack of scientific knowledge. So many irrelevant questions are asked by them. So, information asymmetry was a major challenge. After that as we all know, court proceeding many times takes a lot time for giving final judgement. This duration sometimes can be challenge. Therefore, to minimise those challenges we started some initiative like one day training, providing basic forensic knowledge etc. to private advocate with the request of bar association. This resulted in positive manner as after that I noticed change in court proceedings.

You have supervised medico-legal cases. What are some of the legal issues in a medico-legal case where poisoning is involved? What are some of your recommendations for such cases?

In my career medico legal cases was one of the main issues in clinical forensic toxicology. Here I would like to tell one interesting case, in those one 25 years old male was given a bottle full of water to drink and challenged him to drink this water if he was really in love with the girl. The male consumed the same, after 20-30 min he started vomiting sensation and giddiness. He was admitted to the hospital, during medical treatment, medical officer had also sent stomach wash for chemical analysis, to decide the line of treatment.

After chemical analysis of stomach wash, it was found to contain (142) milligrams of Hydrochloric Acid per (100) grams. Thus, line of treatment was decided by medical officer and the person was survived. Our quick report system worked well here to save victim’s life.

Another one,

Suspected snake venom poisoning found Endosulphan poisoning: A male of 40 Years old was found dead near a well in the field. According to his wife, he might have died due to snake bite. After autopsy, viscera and skin patch from bite site were sent to this laboratory for chemical analysis. Organochloro insecticide Endosulfan (Thiodan) was detected in viscera. However, no snake venom detected in skin patch from questioned bite site. This provided a vital clue for investigation to I.O.

Third one, Metal poisoning case:

The forensic laboratory had received one of the homicidal cases in which the highly qualified girl and her boyfriend decided to get rid of from girl’s former boyfriend. For this they called the former boyfriend in a hotel where they offered some “Prasad of God” to him. After eating the “Prasad” the victim started vomiting and was admitted in the hospital. However, he could not respond to the treatment and died. Police registered this case as an accidental death. Medical Officer preserved the Post Mortem samples Viscera, blood, and stomach aspirate and directed investigating officer to submit it in the forensic laboratory for chemical examination.

Routine Toxicological examination showed absence of commonly used insecticides, drugs, in visceral samples.

Hence these samples were tested for the presence of metallic poisons, if any. Routine chemical tests revealed the presence of arsenic these samples.

It was further confirmed and quantitatively determined using EDXRF. With the information Pune police arrested the accused girl along with her purse in Jammu and submitted her purse.

Even after laps of few weeks the accused girl’s purse when examined showed the presence of “Arsenic” in the inside compartment. The viscera –I (stomach and contains), Viscera-II (Liver), contain 2.44 mg and 11.2 mg of arsenic per 100 gm, respectively. Thus, it directly linked the accused girl with the serious crime.

You have delivered lectures and trained Judicial Officers, Police officers, IOs, Medical Officers, and Forest & Railway officers. How different is it compared to working in the laboratory? And what are the challenges encountered by you?

The Police Officers and Judicial Officers are regularly trained to make the forensic services more effective. It is seen that the advantage of any innovative technology is first taken by criminals before other citizens, to combat such crime it is necessary for a forensic scientist to update himself in latest developments of science and technology. Therefore, constant efforts are made to train the scientific staff by way of workshops, seminars and giving them special trainings at various reputed institutes in the country or abroad, if necessary.

Working in the lab is totally different. There we need to analyse exhibits submitted by police and medical officers. As I have already told that, many times the sample collection method is not appropriate. That’s is one of the main reasons of such lectures. Here persuasion and expression is the key. I need to connect with them emotionally which is totally opposite from working in lab.

Most Forensic Laboratories are backlogged with old cases while new cases are accumulated on a daily basis. What is the reason behind this and what steps are or should be taken to tackle this issue in your opinion?

The biggest challenge I ever faced in my whole career is the pendency issue. The reasons behind this are,

Lack of manpower: onsite working staff is not optimum as rate of crimes is increasing day by day.

To tackle this issue, in my tenure I did some changes. In the year 2018-19 additional manpower on contract basis

was taken for disposal of cases and it’s served the purpose but it created legal issues for re-employment of the people on contract who demanded for their permanent absorption. In my opinion, Govt. needs to take a view on filling up these vacancies immediately on par like recruitment of police constables otherwise the pendency position will always keep adding-up.

Infrastructural issues: Grants as well modernise equipments are lacking. In my opinion, Govt. needs to consider giving grants for construction of offices/laboratories and residential quarters for the staff.

FSL Maharashtra was receiving 5 % grants from modernization funds of Maharashtra which needs to be enhanced to at least 20 % to cater to the costly instruments, equipment’s and infrastructure facilities, which are directly assisting police department only.

During your tenure 45 Mobile Forensic Support Units (MFSU) and 5 Mini Forensic Laboratories started functioning in different districts of Maharashtra. How demanding was this task of capacity building? How did you deal with the same?

Govt. of Maharashtra had provided 45 mobile forensic support units (MFGSU) in all district police units in Maharashtra in the year 2016. Detailed SOP regarding MFSU prepared by Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories (DFSL) Mumbai was circulated to all police Units and supervisory Officers through Addl. DG CID Crime Pune.

Aim to start Mini RFSLs:

• Decentralization of Forensic Services.
• To reduce the pending cases in present DFSL & RFSLs.
• Immediate service to investigation agency.
• To reduce the time and expenses of investigation agency to deposit the cases in laboratory.
• To reduce time and distance of experts visiting crime scene.
• To reduce the office expenses for crime scene visit.
• To reduce the burden on existing FSLs.

Most of the professionals working at various FSLs are overburdened by the casework. But you managed to indulge in research work and published 100+ research papers in national & international journals despite all this. How did you make it possible and what challenges did you encounter while doing so?

Research is basically coming through practical experiences of working. In my case I was passionate about forensic studies and I excelled through it whenever I got the chance. Also, forensics is a growing scientific field as new researches are always possible. In free time after my working hours of office, I used to work on my papers and that’s why it reached 100 plus figures. It also helped me solve many criminal cases easily and helped me get positive prosecution.

Challenges are like – resources issue, unavailability of required quantity and quality of chemicals, lack of updated instruments and equipment. But I managed to solve those with the help of many private institutions and colleges.

Although, it was challenging to set up mobile forensic units as we were completely new in this field. In the starting phase, we encountered infrastructural bottlenecks, a lack of skilled workers and approval, and other administrative issues. But fortunately, we successfully dealt with all of them. Such a way to solve the issue of backlogs and pendency we took this step and today I can say that somehow it delivered justice to our main concern.

Do you collaborate on research projects with your colleagues at the lab? In your opinion, how important is it to do so?

Yes, many times. In my opinion research project effectively run with the help of colleagues from our laboratory because suggestion from every person is useful to minimise disadvantages and mistakes of our project. After completion of project, our institution should run our project more effectively. It also improves the work culture, so people are aware about new thing and newer method. So, in my opinion collaboration research work is more useful and beneficial to scientific community.

With new advancements in technologies every now and then, how well equipped are the Forensic labs? How does a good lab infrastructure help the investigation?

In today’s scenario, forensics labs in our country are modernized and well equipped, but as we all know, technology is always developing. So, further improvement in modernization like USA labs can be possible with collaboration. Good lab infrastructure works as a complementary to knowledge and hard work. It also improves time, processing efficiency, and efficacy with the help of adept effectiveness.

The Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories of Maharashtra will get transformed into world class technological institute. Our vision is to make Forensic Science a powerful tool to provide quick and clinching evidence to the criminal justice delivery system by providing accurate forensic reports within a month. Diligent efforts, continuous research and utilization of modern scientific methods will lead us into becoming a premier institute in India.

Many trainings are being undertaken by the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), New Delhi. How effective is it while working at the lab or crime scenes?

DFSS, New Delhi undertaking various training, which is more beneficial for newer compound analysis. In day to day there is fast advances in science and technology, to tackle with this problem the training organising by DFSS is very useful. To effectively tackle with newer research, my opening training is must.

Do you have a story to tell about an incredible case that you solved that you’re really proud of?

Yes, here is the one. Remnants of partly burnt finger, disclosed brutal murder of first wife- A case solved by DNA Analysis:

In this case the deceased woman Vaijanti was first wife of accused Vitthal. She was always quarrelling with him because of his illegal remarriage. She had lodged the complaint against him under section 498 (A) of IPC. She was demanding monetary compensation and part of his property. Therefore, he decided to get rid of her. He made a plan with two other friends. He intoxicated her with Chloroform while she was asleep. Then he killed her and carried her body in remote forest by means of Tata Sumo jeep. Then with help of two co-accused person, he burnt the body by putting petrol on it and attempted to destroy the evidence. At the scene of crime, the investigating officer found partly burnt middle finger of the foot which was entangled in silver ornament. As the remaining body parts were totally charred, the above-mentioned exhibit was forwarded to this laboratory along with control blood sample of the son of deceased woman. The DNA analysis was performed to establish the identity of the victim.

Contributing to the Forensic Field for all these years How has your work been recognized in the community?

You can check it through platforms like research gate and academia. Even linked in profile can also an answer to this question. Even after retirement, several times my colleague ask for guidance which is most satisfying for me.

Having worked for almost 3 decades in the Forensic Domain, do you still wish to explore and contribute to the domain? How?

Yes, why not. Even, now I am working as a member of syllabus committee of Mumbai University, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University, Nagpur University for forensic studies. With the help of this committee, we wish to introduce study of advanced technology to forensic students. Our aim is to train individuals after taking degree and diploma from this university student not take only for job but also, they should help common man for scientific knowledge. Society should aware advanced scientific knowledge. One can say prevention is better, by that people must aware about scientific knowledge, so no one can easily do crime.

What’s your mantra for life?

Basically, I am from normal rural background still this favored me to widen my wings for take a big leap with the help of hard work and struggle. Also, I can say that interest and opportunity matter a lot. If you have an interest then grab the opportunity to showcase it or create the opportunity no matter what happens. One must try to adopt knowledge in whatever field he or she belongs to but for that, I would say one single field with proper direction is required. Finally, dedication, determination, and patience are more than just words for me. They helped as a building block in my life and worked as a mantra.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Krishna Vishwanathrao Kulkarni, Rtd. Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Mumbai, Maharashtra appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

In addition to his B.E (Electronics and Telecommunications), he possesses additional qualifications such as CHFI, CEH, RHCSA, IVTA (CMU, Pittsburgh, USA), Advance Cyber Forensic Course (CDAC), Cyber Crime Investigator (CCI), Cyber Crime Intervention Officer (CCIO), and Access Data Certified Examiner. Santosh was judged amongst the top three scholars during the MDI-ISAC National Cyber Security Scholar Program for 2020 and awarded the best innovative paper titled “The Role of Digital Forensics in Industry 4.0”.

He has 20+ years plus of rich experience in Digital Forensics, Cyber Laws, Information Security, Cyber Audit, and Incident Response. He is best known in the digital forensics community for his expertise, skillsets, and mentorship qualities.

He has been a speaker at various national and international conferences such as BRICS(2022), Colombo Cyber Security Conference (2022), NASSCOM-DSCI Annual Information Security Summit 2020, International Conference on Cyber Law 2020, Cybercrime & Cyber Security, C0C0N, HAKON, Hackers Day, National Cyber Defense Summit, and GovInfoSec Summit Asia. Also authored various articles on information security and Digital Forensics in national and international publications.

1. Tell us about your journey from an engineering student to a Cyber Security Specialist & DFIR Professional.

I completed my engineering in the stream of electronics and telecommunications from PVG’s College of Engineering, Pune in the last century (1999). Career in cyber security was never on the cards in the initial years hence I started working in the field of telecommunications and Information Technology.  One fine day, I came across cyber investigation courses which were launched by Mr. Rohas Nagpal in his institution Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL). After personally visiting Pune and understanding the importance of these courses I decided to do my first course in the cyber investigation which was named Cyber Crime Investigator. This is how I entered into the niche cyber field. After that, I did numerous courses related to cyber investigations which led my way into the field of Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DIFR).  Along the journey, I also started understanding other verticals within the cyber domain and updating myself on various verticals of cyber audit, and cyber laws, governance risk and compliance (GRC), etc

2. In today’s world, there is a lot of talk about cyber security, particularly with the recent rise of ransomware attacks on the Internet. How can we protect our data and make sure that there are no breaches?

The Internet another networks have brought the world much closer and with that have also come disadvantages as a by-product. Emerging technologies has made human lifestyle easier and they have become a necessity rather than a luxury. In the last two years during Covid-19 everyone was locked in their houses and totally reliant on digital technologies but with that came a surge of cyber-related issues. Every organisation has its own networks and is also connected to the outside world via the internet. Thus, all the threats on the internet also impact that particular organisation. Yes, the rise of ransomware attacks has increased in recent years but that is not the only threat vector being used by cyber threat actors to attack organisations and nation-states in the cyber domain.

Cyber security awareness is the first and most important step that every individual or organisation has to undertake to protect themselves from cyber-crimes or cyber-attacks. It is said that data is the new oil and it has to be protected as it is very valuable hence efforts are made by cyber security professionals to ensure that it is protected in the best possible manner using the state of the art technology available to them. Data can you only be protected if you as an organisation or country have your cyber security measures such as people process and technology in place.

3. In your opinion, what do you think is the most effective way to fight cybercrime like identity theft, data theft, online scams, online fraud, etc.?

As mentioned before as the penetration of the internet increases and digital technologies evolve the threat of cybercrime will increase exponentially and the end user will always be on the receiving end. Financial crimes will reach new heights and other crimes such as cyber-stalking identity theft etc will also affect the day to day life of a common human being.

In my opinion the most effective way to fight this menace is being aware about crimes happening in the cyber world. The government and many cyber security professionals are carrying out numerous cyber awareness campaigns in the country which is the need of the hour. The second important part is reporting when a cyber-crime has happened by various mechanisms put in place by the government such as portals, helplines and cyber police stations. It has been observed that the majority of the people refuse to report a cyber-crime due to numerous issues such as reputation loss or lengthy procedures in getting justice. India is a country has laws, human resources and infrastructure in place to tackle numerous cybercrime cases happening on a daily basis

4. What is your opinion about the current state of cybersecurity in India and what can we do to solve it?

India is a developing country and so the penetration of the internet is increasing day by day. The number of digital assets possessed by every household has increased over the last few years and those not having one or now owning devices such as mobiles, Smart TVs etc. We were one among the first countries to have its Information Technology Act in the year 2000 which was later amended in 2008 and which were followed by IT rules.

With the Digital India initiative, there has been an exponential growth in the IT sector and the services sector. E-commerce has become the way of life and digital payments are the preferred method for financial transactions as of date.

In the field of cyber security, there are various mechanisms which are being put in place by the government and the organisations using digital assets. But with the evolution of numerous technologies the attack surface is increasing day by day and the threat actors are using the same networks for financial or political gains.

Cyber security is a continuous process and has to be addressed by each and every one of us. Not only India but the whole globe is under the threat of cyber-attacks and hence you cannot say at any moment of time that you are fully protected in the cyber domain. So in my opinion we have a long way to go to make India secure in the cyber-space.

5. How far do you agree with the statement: “As the Internet and technology grow, the threats of cybercrime and cyberattacks also grow?” Please explain your thoughts.

I totally, second the above statement as threats of cybercrime and cyber-attack will exponentially grow in years to come. As mentioned technology is no more a luxury but a necessity for every one of us which in turn has increased the attack surface for the attackers to carry out the attacks and succeed if proper cyber security measures have not been put in place. Every household has numerous Digital assets which are not hardened or Do not use endpoint security (for example antivirus on their computers and mobiles)  giving an easy pass for an attacker to carry out various types of crimes.

E-commerce and banking transactions being done online thus the cyber threats or increasing. Our footprint on the internet also is being used by the attacker to carry out cybercrime is that such as identity theft or cyber stalking.

6. How important are Cyber Laws? What are the major laws you’ve observed among the developed countries like the US, India, China, etc?

Cyber laws are very important and act as a handy tool to get the perpetrators to justice in the court of law. Having a cyber law in place also assist the law enforcement agencies to curb where Cybercrime is taking place in society.

India was among one of the first countries to have a cyber law called the Information Technology act in the year 2000. This law addressed numerous issues in the cyber domain at that moment of time. As crimes evolved this law was amended in the year 2008 and is also known as IT act 2008 (Amdt). There are many provisions which are being re-looked at this moment of time and in the near future we will have a more refined cyber law which will address all the Cybercrime’s and related issues.

India’s IT Act also gave birth to Cyber organisations such as National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and CERT-India under section 70A and 70B. One of the important things it did was give the mandate the government and 79A to notify Cyber forensic labs as Examiner of Electronic Evidence (EEE), thus making the reports tenable in the court of law.

Similarly, US and China also have their own set of laws to address issues in the cyberspace.

7. What will be the impact of Artificial Intelligence on information security?

Artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology and is going to change the landscape in security. I consider it as a part of a problem and also a part of a solution. Yes, it will assist the mankind in finding solutions to lots of problem statements in the information domain but it will also pose a serious issue on the security side.

I will just give to one example of deep fakes in which with the help of artificial intelligence fake videos of personalities are being made and circulated causing a great security hazard for all of us. On the other hand, can be a powerful tool in protecting the systems against numerous cyber-attacks as they can assist in predicting these attacks.

8. Do you have a story to tell about an incredible case that you solved that you’re really proud of?

Over the years I have been a part of analysing hundreds of cases related to different kind of cyber-crimes and cyber-attacks. Due to constraints I cannot discuss any of them but would surely tell you few approaches which helped me in solving them.

Nowadays most of the digital assets coming to the laboratories for analysis mobile devices which are damaged or in a locked condition using latest encryption techniques. Laboratories are also getting drones and smart gadgets which require analysis. Such kind of cases pose a great challenge but we were able to manoeuvre the challenges and produce results because we had the proper resources and skilled manpower.

9. You have led two National Level Cyber Forensic Laboratories and were responsible for notification, overall functioning, up-gradation, training, analysis, and preparation of reports. What challenges did you encounter while doing so?

Yes, over the past two decades I have been given opportunity to head two Cyber Forensic laboratories and carry out various responsibilities while performing my duty. Notification under 79A of IT Act by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology scheme is a time-consuming process but if you are able to achieve it you learn a lot and you meet the global standards for digital forensics. Once you are notified your reports get legal sanctity and or a tenable in the court of law.

Continuity of training and upgradation of labs are very important aspects as they help in keeping up to date with various global technological developments in the digital forensics field. Regarding challenges let me tell you one thing every case is a different case and has to be approached in a different manner. You need to have proper skill sets, tools and training to succeed.

10. What’s the most inspiring thing you have learned from your experience as a Cyber Security and Cyber Forensic Specialist?

During my interaction with students and professionals I always mention one thing that if you want to succeed in this field you should have passion and patience. So you are always a student and are learning new things so that the occasion arises you are able to handle in a sound forensic manner. I have learned that every case is a different case and has to have a different approach getting out your tasks as a cyber forensic specialist

For me, inspiration has always been the students and enthusiasts who want to make this as a career option and contribute to this niche field so that India can be a leader in digital/cyber forensics.

11. What is the one thing you would like to say to people who do not know much about cyber security?

I would just say one thing that you don’t have an option of not knowing cyber security. Every user is responsible for the security of the device is the handle. If you have not yet started, start immediately and be part of cyber awareness campaigns which are being run by the government and other cyber security professionals.

12. What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of your job? What will be your advice to those who are seeking a career in Cyber Security & Digital forensics?

A decade back when we used to speak about cyber security and digital forensics, we had very few takers. Not only that the cyber security conferences which were held never stressed or had talks on digital/cyber forensics. But it is good to see today that numerous professionals want to make digital/cyber forensics has a career option. We have to national level universities which are spearheading in churning out professionals in the environment.

To those who are seeking a career let me tell you that you have chosen the right part just have patience you will surely succeed and achieve your objective. I would also like to tell you that have a mentor who will always guide you in the specialisation within the cyber domain. Also take part in conferences workshops and discussions happening around you which will help you in gaining deep knowledge and also increasing your network. I would like to end by saying ‘Mentorship and Internship’ are the key to success.

The post In Conversation with Lt. Col (Dr.) Santosh Khadsare (Retd.), Vice President (DFIR), eSec Forte® Technologies appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

The Poison Control Centre of AIMS is listed in the Global Directory of Poison Control Centres of the World Health Organization. The Analytical Toxicology Laboratory attached to it is a nationally accredited clinical toxicology laboratory and receives samples from poisoned victims from all over the country. Till date, it has analysed over 70,000 samples.

He has completed MBBS and MD from Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad. Over the period of time, he has published more than hundred publications in national and international scientific journals, of which 29 in PUBMED.

He is the author/editor of several books, including the first-ever Indian textbook devoted to toxicology (Modern Medical Toxicology, now in 4th edition) an exhaustive reference book (Comprehensive Medical Toxicology, now in 3rd edition), and a textbook on Forensic Medicine & Toxicology (now in 19th edition).

He has also contributed a section on toxicology for Oxford Textbook of Medicine, published by Oxford University Press, UK which consists of API Textbook of Medicine, published by the Association of Physicians of India, Textbook of Emergency and Trauma Care, published by Jaypee Brothers, India and Tandon’s Textbook of Cardiology, published by Wolters Kluwer, India.

He is also the Editor of the Journal of Indian Society of Toxicology (2005-2014). He is a referee on toxicology for the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (for which he won the ‘VR Joshi Best Referee Award’ in 2006), and the National Medical Journal of India. He has contributed to several monographs on analytical toxicology for the World Health Organization. He is an External Reviewer for the new edition of Guidelines for Poison Control published by WHO (2021). He is also a working Group Member of the WHO’s Guidelines for Poison Control Network, Edinburgh, UK.

He founded the Indian Society of Toxicology in 2004, of which he was the President for 8 consecutive years. He has been awarded the SOT (Society of Toxicology, USA) Travel Award – 2018 at the 57th Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, USA (11-15 March 2018).

He was editor of the Journal of Indian Society of Toxicology (2005-2014). He was a Referee on toxicology for the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (for which he won the ‘VR Joshi Best Referee Award’ in 2006), and the National Medical Journal of India. He has majorly contributed to several monographs on analytical toxicology for the World Health Organization. He was an external reviewer for the new edition of Guidelines for Poison Control published by WHO (2021). He has been part of working Group Member of the WHO’s Guidelines for Poison Control Network, Edinburgh, UK. He founded the Indian Society of Toxicology in 2004, of which he was the President for 8 consecutive years. He was Awarded the SOT (Society of Toxicology, USA) Travel Award – 2018 at the 57th Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, USA (11-15 March 2018).

1. What inspired your interest in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology? Tell us about your journey from MBBS student to a Chief of Poison Control Centre & Head of Analytical Toxicology; and Professor & Head of Forensic Medicine & Medical Toxicology in Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Cochin, Kerala.

Well, it is a long story, but I’ll keep it short! I was actually not very interested in pursuing a medical career; I wanted to be a journalist. But somehow circumstances forced me to take a different path and to be honest, I have not really regretted what transpired over a period of time. During my medical student days in Hyderabad (where I was born and raised), I must confess I was not a very dedicated pupil. Somehow, though I tried to interest myself in hospital postings, patient care, and so on, my heart was not in what I was doing. By the time I came to the end of the course and started my internship, one thing was clear in my mind: I was not going to choose a clinical specialty for my post-graduation. I had always been a great fan of crime fiction and scientific detection of crime and was an avid reader of novels that dealt with such themes, as also an enthusiast of films of the same genre. I realised that the closest I could get to my area of interest was to become a specialist in forensic medicine. Therefore when it was time for me to choose my specialty, I had no hesitation whatsoever in picking forensic medicine, even though my parents were disappointed and my friends were shocked! Bu more than three decades down the line I am very happy with my decision and feel a great sense of fulfilment and professional satisfaction. Over a period of time, my focus did shift a little, from forensic pathology to toxicology due to some personal reasons, but as the two are closely linked, I feel that I have never really lost my moorings.

2. How do you stay up-to-date with your information in your area of expertise? How do you keep yourself relevant in your field?

When your heart is in the field you are working in, and you are passionate about your job, constantly updating yourself comes very naturally. You don’t really have to put in any extra effort; it is an automatic process. Being in a field that is evolving and changing rapidly, I am aware that I need to keep reinventing myself to stay relevant, and I make it a point to do that. I read a lot, and attend scientific programs and events relating to my specialty regularly, and even organise such events every now and then. These are activities that bring me great pleasure because I enjoy what I am doing in my professional life.

3. What is in your opinion the greatest advancement in toxicology since its inception?

Toxicology is one of the most dynamic specialities in the field of medicine, and it is sad that it had been neglected for a long time. Things have started changing however, and increasing interest is now being shown by the powers that be, to elevate the importance of this specialty to a status that it deserves. I have been very closely involved with this particular component of the overall specialty of forensic medicine for more than two decades, and have succeeded to some extent in highlighting its importance to my colleagues and students. Today we have specialised centres called Poison Control Centres being established in major medical colleges and hospitals all over the country that are instrumental in vastly improving the quality of management of poisoned victims. I myself head one of the premier centres that is attached to Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Cochin, and I am proud to say that it is today among the most full-fledged centres with state of the art resources in poison information and analytical services.

4. What are some of the legal issues in a medicolegal case where poisoning is involved? What are some of your recommendations on such cases?

Every case of poisoning is a potential medicolegal case, and one must be always aware of that. Even a case that appears to be straightforward, for instance an incident arising out of accidental exposure to a toxin, can take very unexpected turns. This has happened in quite a few cases that I have handled, and that is why I am always alert and cautious. My recommendation to all doctors and professionals engaged in the field: take nothing at face value, and nothing for granted. Always be alert to the possibility of foul play; poisoning is not always accidental or suicidal.

5. Kindly describe in brief a case handled by you, which is very close to your heart? (Excluding any personal identifiable information)

There are innumerable such cases as I have been involved in this field now for more than 20 years. A recent case that comes to mind which is unique is with regard to an IT professional from Bengaluru who was poisoned periodically with arsenic by his wife via his food. They were having marital problems and she wanted to have a divorce which he was not agreeing to. After visiting several hospitals and doctors in Bengaluru for his periodic illness, he was finally referred to our Centre as a suspected case of poisoning. My daughter who was pursuing her medical post-graduation at that time here in Cochin, helped me tackle the case. We narrowed the possible agents down to heavy metals and performed a metal screen in urine which was positive for arsenic. Subsequently we confirmed it by a quantitative screening in his blood sample. The matter was reported to the police who recovered a small bottle of white powder from the home where the couple was staying. Upon testing, it turned out to be arsenic trioxide. The wife was arrested, interrogated, and confessed to the crime. The husband recovered fortunately, while the wife is in police custody and the case is in progress. Just goes to show that homicidal poisoning is not uncommon and doctors must always be alert to the possibility of poisoning in unexplained illnesses, especially of a chronic nature.

6. What are some of the most interesting (and morbid) cases of poisons and poisonings that you have encountered especially when you have received forensic samples to analyse? What are the challenges encountered by you while handling cases related to forensics? How did you deal with the same?

We normally do not accept viscera or body fluid samples from dead bodies for forensic toxicological analysis, as ours is a clinical toxicological laboratory. However, we have done a few on special request. The Kalabhavan Mani case of Kerala is one example (he was a famous character actor in Malayalam films). There was a lot of controversy and sensationalism around the case as people were claiming that he was deliberately poisoned. But we could prove that there was no poison involved and he passed away due to natural causes, by a detailed toxicological evaluation.

7. How do you handle high-profile cases that go beyond the medicolegal limits? What kind of research do you do to give a final opinion?

I handle all cases with the same approach, and do whatever is required without fear or favour. To me, a victim of poisoning is just a victim, and it does not matter to me what strata of society he belongs to, or whether he is a celebrity or an ordinary citizen. Complicated cases with regard to identification of the exact cause of poisoning are handled with due diligence, and we consult our excellent toxicological databases for help and guidance in solving them.

8. Most of the professionals working in the Forensic Medicine & Toxicology domain across the world are overburdened by casework. But you managed to indulge in research work and publish around 100+ publications, author/editor to several textbooks, member of the Editorial Board, and reviewer for many Journals in spite of all this. How did you make it possible? How important is it to indulge in research work and collaboration with other persons in the field?

When you love your work, you find that it thrills you each time you come across interesting cases. In a field like toxicology, there is no dearth of fascinating cases. I am devoted to the field of toxicology and therefore spend most of my time working. It gives me a great deal of professional fulfilment, and I do not consider the workload, that can be pretty heavy at times, stressful at all. In order to keep myself constantly updated, I read a lot of research publications on toxicology, and also undertake research of my own, besides attending conferences, workshops, etc.

9. What advice would you give to young researchers who wish to publish their research work in reputed journals?

First of all, the quality of the research work must be good, and the topic itself must be relevant. It must be original work, and duplicating research already done, even if it is elsewhere, must be avoided. One must be careful of predatory journals, and only publish in reputed journals that are abstracted in authentic indexing agencies with a high impact factor.

10. You are the author/editor of several books. What is your motivation to write your very first book ‘Modern Medical Toxicology’?

My foray into the field of toxicology (and a slight shift away from my parent discipline of forensic medicine) arose out of a personal near-tragic incident. My daughter who was then only about a year old got accidentally poisoned, partly because of my own negligence. Fortunately she survived, and today is a physician herself, and is based currently in London. When the terrible incident happened I realised how ignorant doctors (including myself) were with regard to effective diagnosis and management of poisoning in India. After my daughter recovered, I took an oath that I would do anything that was in my capacity to improve the status of toxicology in India. And that is how I managed to accomplish so many things over a period of time, beginning with writing the first ever Indian textbook on toxicology containing only current and correct concepts. Subsequently I have written several other books also, including the most comprehensive reference book on toxicology which is now in its third edition: Comprehensive Medical Toxicology.

11. As an Adjunct faculty at the School of Forensics, Risk Management & National Security, RRU what are your key principles in training and educating the next generation of scientists?

I am an adjunct/guest faculty on forensic medicine and toxicology for several universities and organisations, including the one that you mention. My focus is always on highlighting the importance of this very crucial specialty, and stimulating the interest of scientists, doctors and students in taking up this field and develop it into world class status.

12. What are some everyday tips or tricks that you use to keep yourself motivated?

I read a lot, not only academic works on toxicology, but also crime fiction, especially books relating to criminal poisoning, besides also watching documentaries and films having toxicological content! All this is in addition to the routine work that I perform every day, as also the research projects that I involve myself in. These are but a few of the ways in which I keep myself engaged in the specialty that has given me so much satisfaction in my professional career.

13. What are some of the most important things you’ve learned in your career? And what advice would you give to someone who would like to pursue a career in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology?

I have learnt that there are no short cuts to success, and one can achieve a lot only through genuine hard work and sincere effort. Any student who would like to pursue a career in forensic medicine or toxicology must first familiarise himself/herself with what the field is all about and make sure that it is something that he/she would like to take up as a full time career. As I have already stated, if your heart is in it, work becomes pleasurable and fulfilling. Never take up a career that is not of interest to you, even if it appears glamorous or remunerative. That is a pitfall, and eventually your entire professional life will become a boring, mechanical routine. Even today, so many decades down the line, I am so excited to go to my office everyday and immerse myself in work, and it is only because I love the field I have chosen. That is how it should be.

Wishing all budding students and professionals all the very best!

The post In Conversation with Dr. V. V. Pillay, Chief of Poison Control Centre & Head of Analytical Toxicology, AIMS, Cochin, Kerala appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

What inspired you to join the Forensic domain? How do you feel about your decision now?

This goes back to my childhood. I grew up studying Alfred Hitchcock, reading Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Pyro. That’s how that made me detective from inside. Detection was something in my thoughts always. There’s nothing better than doing scientific detection. That precisely inspired me to get into this field. Forensic is a field, which applies the science for crime investigation. So that was something, which I always thought of. And, that ultimately brought me into this field and asked for. I’m very much happy with my decision because ultimately I’m able to do what I wanted to do, and I’m trying to give all the best possible service, which I can give to society. I am very much satisfied with my decision.

It has been noted that a Forensic Laboratory receives an enormous amount of case exhibits for examination. As the examination of exhibits related to DNA are very time consuming, what approaches are required to clear the backlog of cases to ensure that there is no delay in court trails?

Forensics is about taking the case to a logical conclusion, it is not about disposing of the evidence which is sent to us. Analyze it, come out with some report, submit the report; and, the job is over. No, it’s not like that. One has to remember that in the case of forensics, there will be no control over the quantity and quality of the sample. So whatever you have been provided, you have to get the best out of it. So yes, in that process, there is a possibility that there can be a backlog, but that backlog is not because it is being deliberately done. It is because when you try to extract the best possible things, we don’t have the luxury of resampling, whatever is there that has to be used for testing. There is a possibility of backlog, but that is basically because of the shortage of infrastructure and manpower. And if good investment into infrastructure and manpower is done by the government, then definitely there’ll be no backlogs.

A welcome thing, in this case, is the Nirbhaya fund.  And under this, a lot of funds have been given to some of the labs and they have been able to procure good infrastructure. Similarly, they have also been able to hire manpower, youngsters who have just finished their master’s in forensic science or similar to that. And these youngsters are very enthusiastic and they learn things very quickly, they help to analyze the cases and helps to speed up the entire thing. And that helped us to attain the report in a very short time and that also quality reports. So good infrastructure and well-trained manpower are required. Because the population of countries is more than 1.3 billion, so ‘n’ number of experts is required, we need a numerable number of DNA experts or other forensic experts then only will be able to dispose the cases quickly. And also in a justified manner.

There might have been various instances, when you were called for inspecting the crimes scenes by the IO/Police Unit. How challenging is it to deal with it apart from the lab work?

As far as the challenge is concerned, when you go to the crime scene, some of the lab work goes on the back burner. But in another way, this challenge is also very good, as we are dealing with the scene of crime instead of the case analysis at the lab. It gives you a very good opportunity to examine the scene of the crime. When you’re putting a forensic expert at the scene of a crime,  we are assured that the best will come out. First of all, the identification of the evidence will be easy, collection and preservation will be done nicely, and there will be proper documentation. Also, the crime scene will be processed in a very nice way. When all these things come out to the lab, the evidence which has been collected from the crime scene will help to generate a nice report as far as quality work is concerned and that will put the investigation on the right track.

The involvement of a forensic expert at the scene of the crime leads to the investigation on right track from the very beginning. So the entire process remains in a proper direction and does reach a logical conclusion. And it is challenging as managing the time and other things is concerned, as it is the part of the job and it is also service to the nation, to the society, So one should be happy dealing with it.

After the lab examination of the case evidences, you might have been called in the court of law on many instances to testify about a particular case either from the Prosecutor side. What challenges were encountered by you while giving your opinion in the court & what things should one consider while testifying in cases related to DNA?

The field of forensics is a challenging job. One has to understand that working in the field of forensics, doing the scientific analysis of crime evidence, and then submitting a report, one has to be assured that you have to face judicial scrutiny and report has to face the scrutiny of the law. It has to stand to that. So one has to be prepared for that. And, you’ll be grilled with the defense also, and that is their right, and this is how the system works.

And if you can defend your report in the court of law, then only your work is justified. Otherwise, if you fail to defend your reports in the court of law, then your work is of no use. One has to be patient during the judicial trials and in the court of law. From the beginning, when the experiment is well-planned, meticulously executed, there are checks and balances at every point. Then the level of confidence is very high while appearing in the court of law because you know that whatever you have done is accurate. You have done justice to the science, then probably it is not at all difficult to face the court of law. And you are very much able to defend your reports, appreciated by the judiciary and also by the prosecution, and sometimes even by the defense also.

Most of the professionals working at various FSLs are overburdened by the casework. But you managed to indulge into research work in spite of all this. How did you make it possible and what challenges did you encounter while doing so? In your opinion, how important is it to collaborate with other people for any research?

Again, it’s all about time management. If you have the will to do something, definitely you will find a way. Being in the field of forensics if you want to remain on the cutting edge of the technology, research is important. And in the field of forensics, everything, every day will throw a new challenge. Many times a certain technology and protocol may not be available, certain problems require research and which is challenging. Instead of looking for solutions from a commercial source or some other academic institution, try to work on it because you know the actual problem. This gives you a very good research opportunity and ultimately a solution that is an outcome of the research, which is wonderful i.e., actual practical not theoretical research or on an assimilated sample. Collaboration with our other institutions is very good because being in a lab, there is time limitation and other commitments. Collaborating with the institute is a win-win situation for both as the Ph.D. scholars perform their research. The student gets the lab facilities to do the best possible research as the infrastructure is good in the labs as compared to the academic institutions and the lab also gets good students who can work on the problem. The final solution is beneficial for crime investigation and for society itself. And this adds to the academic value of the institution, as well as the lab.

As a Wildlife Forensic researcher & enthusiast, how do you see the future and scope of Wildlife Forensics in India? What are some of the recent advancements in the field?

Wildlife forensics is the field I am very much passionate about because I started my research on genetics and wildlife forensics. Wildlife forensics is a very challenging field unlike human forensics, where the ready-to-use technology as in the case of DNA technology. Whereas in the case of Wildlife forensics there is no ready-to-use technology. In most of the cases, the present scenario has been changed, but initially, every case provided a peculiar situation. I remember many years ago we were supposed to identify some species based on DNA profile and hair structure. Forensics is a science of comparison. Until, unless you have a reference sample, how you’ll compare it and testing is difficult without the reference standard. It is very challenging and initially, this field was concentrated on the identification of the species from confiscated items.

Not only the animal or the part of the animal, even the products of animals like medicines, shawls, leather, etc. is also tested in the case of wildlife forensics. This is very challenging.

A further step that has come up now is not only species identification but an advanced level i.e., individualization. Suppose a particular animal is posted in a particular tiger reserve or natural reserve or a sanctuary if you can identify this animal belongs to this particular population.

Nowadays, researchers are creating huge databases for various species, at the moment most of the flagship species are being done. An immense amount of research and the potential of researching in this field is required not only in the field of genetics but there’s also in the field of morphology, isotope studies, and statistics. So this is a very good event where people should explore.

You have been a member of Editorial Board & reviewer for many Forensic Journals across the globe. What advice would you like to give the young researchers who wish to publish their research work in reputed journals?

I would like to give some advice, don’t be crazy about publishing simply by hook or crook. First of all, you need to produce quality research. To produce quality research don’t go by the number of publications.

The most important is good research work and work should be honest, without manipulating anything. And publish the research in a journal honestly with clear data, proper analysis with proper experimentation, proper language, and everything should be justified. Then only the publications get through the best journals easily. And if one is crazy about just gaining the number of publications, then probably he/she may not end up in a good place. So quality work is required that will be appreciated across the globe, high instrumentation is not required for research. Even good research can be done with limited equipment. Good quality research work is appreciated and will be published in reputable journals.

Himachal Pradesh became the first state of India to have DNA testing facility & NABL accreditation in all of it’s Forensic Science Laboratories. How significant is this achievement and how will it help the Criminal Justice System?

It is very important. When I came into testing previously I was into research work more than a decade ago. What used to happen is when you go into the court of law if you understand the Indian system. Say a particular person has a particular qualification, he appears for an interview and becomes an expert, and is notified as an expert by the government or appointed as an expert by the government. Then the person has to be trained for a period, later he starts examining and he claims him to be expert. The problem here is how do you build up the confidence of society. When a person goes to purchase anything like a phone or television, he/she looks for the brand and ends up purchasing a good brand. Or I can say while purchasing food items person looks for AGMARK or for other items ISI marks. When things are standardized and of good quality, that’s what people look for. Considering the quality of forensics, if you are an expert as per government notification. Are you an expert? This question is to be answered and that can only be assured to the common man to the society when you are assessed by a third party neutrally, so that is through accreditation and ensures that the testing you are doing is of international standards and power with international standards.

When these reports go into the court of law, they instill confidence in the prosecution and society also that whatever is being provided to them is of high quality which has international standards. So in that way accreditation very important.

 Secondly, about the entire lab NABL accreditation. Yes, it is necessary. It’s not that you have only labs accredited, I say you should also have crime scene unit accredited that instils confidence. Through accreditation try to provide the best possible things to society which depends on you.

We have the first NABL accredited Wildlife forensics facility. Yeah! this is one of my passions, I had. Wildlife forensics is very close to me. In 2018, we thought of creating a facility, i.e. ISO 17025 accredited for DNA forensics. Also, I have spent many years in quality management. As quality management of State FSL, Himachal Pradesh as the director is concerned. I started quality management, as a quality manager, I prepared all the documentation, which is a lengthy process.

Accreditation is all about records and documentation. So I thought, why not DNA forensics for the wildlife also?  We looked in that direction and created a facility regarding wildlife forensics in 2018. And ,we hope the nation of avails our facility, and we are receiving a significant number of cases in the state. Just before joining the interview, I got a call that some pangolin scales are seen. I asked to send them immediately for profiling.

What are your views on the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019?

The DNA Technology Regulation Bill 2019 is pending in the legislation for almost one and a half-decade. We have been looking for the bill, through which we can have the criminal DNA database. But unfortunately, more than one decade has passed, the bill is still in the phase of legislation, and hoping it comes out soon.

DNA Technology Bill 2019 is very necessary at the moment, even small countries which are neighbor or adjoining to us like the Maldives have DNA databases. There are ‘n’ no. of cases, for example, the Gudiya Rape Case, a very infamous in Himachal Pradesh. In such cases, if the perpetrator is absconding, he’s not known it’s a blind case of rape and murder. When you don’t have a DNA database like searching for a blind case is like searching for a needle in a haystack. You have the profile of the person, but the DNA profile does not tell who the person is. The DNA database is important which I am talking about. Until, unless you have a DNA database, it is difficult to search for a person. Many times when these cases are cracked and when you find the real perpetrator of the case, and when you verify his antecedents, it is found that this person has history and scrutinize as a repeat offender he might have served a jail sentence. And if there has been a DNA database then such cases could be solved very easily. And if the amount of money in manpower, the testing, the investigation, the time invested in the DNA database can be more effective. The money and time can be saved, and all the cases can be solved very quickly and then the hue and cry of the public can be avoided. So we are hopeful that the DNA technology bill is enacted as soon as possible then we have a DNA database which is according to the CODIS or the databases of European countries.

I would like to talk about the DNA bill is like people talk about privacy issues. The DNA profile is generated is from the non-coding DNA, it doesn’t code for proteins. The DNA profile doesn’t tell height, weight, skin, creed, color, health status, orientation, or anything about the health state or disease of a person; it only tells about the gender that’s only can be identified by the DNA profile. Rest all things are non-coding markers and they don’t interfere with the privacy of any person. Many people are confused that the DNA bill is for the entire nation that the profile of every person will be collected, no it’s only for the criminals similar to the fingerprint bureau where the database of the accused is also maintained. Here we’ll have an automated DNA database of profiles of people who are convicted offenders or repeat offenders, not of the general public.

For your exemplary contribution to Forensics, you might have received various appreciation letters, awards & recognition. What are some of the notable ones?

Well, I will say one thing, when you are working you should work without expecting any rewards. But definitely, if a reward or awards that instils a zeal in the person to work. Precisely I will try to recollect one important. When I was a research fellow when I was researching in wildlife forensics, I went to the UK for a paper presentation on wildlife forensics. Being in a foreign nation in the UK at Imperial College London. There were the best people from across the globe and it was a two-day conference. Finally, at the end of the conference, an announcement was made your presentation and paper have been judged as the best paper in that country. This was the moment which I remember till date almost 15 years now but that brings me very good fond memories because being recognized in a foreign country, going from a country, which has limited sources and then your paper is the best paper that instills a lot of enthusiasm and feel highly rewarded.

Having worked for almost 2 decades in the Forensic Domain, how do you wish to contribute to this domain?

Well, I have already contributed more than two decades. So in the future also, I wish to contribute to this domain and have done plenty of analysis work. And at the moment what I’m trying to bring is the DNA forensics of international standard into our system, not in the form of just technology, but also in the form of interpretation, also like probabilistic stats, etc which are rarely used as far as the Indian scenario is concerned.

Similarly, also wish to contribute with the academy institutions so that we can do good research and we can bring out very well-groomed experts in the field of forensics, and ultimately we have a surplus manpower of trained experts across the country who can serve the nation as well go abroad to serve the world also. So this is my vision and wants to contribute like this. And I guess I will be able to attain it in the coming time, maybe in a decade or so.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Vivek Shahajpal, Assistant Director (DNA) at the Directorate of Forensics Services, Himachal Pradesh appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

Dr. Boone has worked as an educator in Baltimore County, Maryland schools and colleges, teaching sciences including Biology, Environmental Science, Paramedical Biology, and Forensic Science. Her crime scene and teaching experiences allowed Dr. Boone to collaborate on publishing the forensic textbook and virtual component, So You Want to Be a CSI, with two other former CSIs. Dr. Boone also published Fox Tails: Short, Short Stories Written While Puppysitting, she has multiple poems and song lyrics published in books and magazines. Dr. Boone currently works as an adjunct professor at Keiser University in Florida, in the Crime Scene Technology program and as a Senior Adjunct Faculty member for the Sherlock Institute of Forensic Sciences, India. She has also been an invited speaker at many international conferences, including those sponsored by the Global Scientific Guild, Worldwide Association of Women Forensic Experts, and the Caribbean Association of Forensic Sciences.

What inspired you to join the field of Forensic Science, and what motivates you to continue along with this path?

Like many, my initial plan growing up was nothing like what I ended up doing. I wanted to be a veterinarian and travel to remote places tagging animals. In 1986, I came across my first wordle – a poster titled What Can I Do with a Biology Degree. I acquired a copy and found several options in case the animal track did not pan out. Forensic Technician was one of the titles I highlighted on the poster. I did work at the Baltimore Zoo out of college but met a neighbour who introduced me to crime scene photos, telling me about his job. I applied and while I waited through the hiring process, I volunteered with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner near the University of Maryland in Baltimore. My curiosity and my analytical mentality peaked. The comradery of the crime scene family kept me interested and growing. I learned a great deal about my city, the nature of crime and law enforcement, and about myself. I have stayed in this interesting community of forensic minds because I enjoy learning and teaching aspects of crime scene investigation as it evolves, with the hope of sharing my experiences and motivating others to enjoy the subtle rewards of public service through helping those who have endured tragic or traumatic situations.

At present, you are working as a Forensic Analyst, an Adjunct Professor at Keiser University, and also you have worked as CSI. How were these roles different from each other? What were the challenges that you faced in each role?

As a CSI, I had mobility. I gained confidence in getting to know Baltimore City and County through the calls for service. I was a Crime Scene Investigator before being a CSI was highlighted by the television series and similar programs that showcased the techniques applied in forensic disciplines. I learned a great deal on the job and also attended a Crime Scene training with 20-25 others from multiple agencies. After roughly a year on my own, I was training other new mobile technicians. I thought that was odd, but my supervision saw something in me that I didn’t recognize.  I transferred to the Baltimore County Police Department in the position of Forensic Services Supervisor. While there, I became an adjunct professor at the Community College of Baltimore County.

My challenges were rarely job-related: I left crime scene work shortly after my daughter was born due to the combination of strenuous, unpredictable work hours, a failing marriage, and the onset of what I now understand was vicarious trauma. When I left crime scene work, I chose to become a full-time educator or divine intervention chose education for me. I would have never thought I would have become a teacher. This role grounded me in a completely different routine- I had regular daytime hours, no shift changes, and summers, weekends, and holidays off. That was a huge difference. I felt like taking classes along with teaching became my therapy. I taught Biology, Environmental Science, Paramedical Biology, Biotechnology, and Forensic Science in Baltimore County high schools. Teaching revealed a lot for me as I got to know more about teenagers who experienced group homes, abuse, rape and molestation, absent parents, and many situations I had never expected them to share. Hearing their stories was challenging for me. I became a therapist through my own therapy. The only true achievement through those years of teaching was the opportunity to be a role model, encourager, motherly supporter, and listener for young people who were missing those facets in their lives. I didn’t realize that I would be that person to so many, but I appreciated where God had placed me.

As a Forensic Analyst, I was able to apply what I had learned from crime scenes, in my studies to reinforce the subjects I taught, and through furthering my education in graduate programs. As a Latent Print Examiner, I had to gain confidence in a whole other discipline and absorb the fact that my skills would be determining factors in someone else’s life. I could not make any errors and that was a different type of pressure and expectation that neither attending crime scenes nor teaching young people demanded. In all positions, we try to limit our errors, but in forensic analyses, the conclusion could be life-changing. Even though every case worked is technically and administratively reviewed by another qualified examiner, I want to make every effort to make the best conclusion for each item of evidence I examine. Having this elevated level of expectation is a challenge requiring a willingness to uphold personal standards, standards of my law enforcement agency, and standards of my forensic discipline because one erroneous conclusion could damage the credibility of each.

What are the most important things to consider when conducting a crime scene investigation?

I believe that conducting a crime scene investigation requires that the CSI pull from several resources and reserves of knowledge and training. Staying up to date on advancements in technology, changes in the standards of each discipline applied and continuing education is most important for the CSI. When conducting an investigation, the CSI must understand that this incident (whether a tragedy through assault, abuse, death, burglary, robbery, arson, or other) is this victim’s worse moment or day. Even though we, as CSIs, may attend crime scene after crime scene, each victim is having that issue for possibly the first time and their life and psyche are altered for a lifetime because of a violation of their personal space, privacy, or possessions.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve encountered during an investigation? And what was the case you found most challenging to solve?

I have contributed to the investigation of thousands of crime scenes in a combination of 14 years as a CSI and 10 years analyzing evidence. Identifying the most interesting case is difficult. I have had the opportunity to attend and assist with autopsies of varying natures and degrees of mutilation. Seeing foreign objects in bodies has been morbidly interesting. Also, applying techniques that are not used on an average day made the job more fascinating at times. I have seen the decomposed, sloughed hand skin put on like a glove in an attempt to get fingerprints. I have seen multiple autoerotic asphyxiation victims. The scene that is by far my most interesting has been the one that I dreamed about the morning before I was dispatched to the location. A homicide had occurred, and the victim had been buried face down in a shallow grave in a vacant lot. The case was solved, not specifically through my efforts, but it was thoroughly challenging to function with the premonition of the location and details on my mind. Also, it was the only scene where I had to be assisted by a paramedic for dizziness due to the 105-degree Florida August heat with an equally hot uniform.

Dr. Boone your main fields of interest are vicarious traumatization, organizational support and civilian relations, implicit bias in crime scene attendance, personal impact of law enforcement suicide, and so on. Can you tell us more about vicarious traumatization? What do you think is the most effective way of treating vicarious trauma? What are the best measures that organizations should include to prevent vicarious traumatization among crime scene investigators?

As recorded in studies of therapist response to frequent interaction of clients sharing their emotional trauma, vicarious traumatization was introduced by McCann and Pearlman in 1990 as a psychological response of chronic symptomatic distress to indirect trauma experienced by those close to a critical incident. It is my belief that the CSI potentially has more frequent exposure to traumatic scenes than the sworn officer in many places. (The definition of ‘traumatic’ is highly subjective, therefore, I would describe traumatic as a scene that triggers an emotional response or that may be visually graphic.) Due to the typical limitations of zone/district/region assignments, sworn agents of the law are responsible for covering their area. The CSI often has a zone, district, or region; however, the number of CSI personnel is exponentially lower than that of the sworn personnel, therefore a CSI would be responsible for multiple districts within the city, county, or region. With that logic, add in the crime rate, and the CSI will attend a higher number of violent scenes, stay for longer periods of time, and review the evidence from those scenes for extended hours, not including revisiting the photos and evidence if the offense is presented in court. I must state that all first responders, second responders, or those indirectly encountering the tragedies of others are susceptible to vicarious traumatization.

Vicarious trauma is not often diagnosed and may not be recognized, due to the individual factors involved in the psyche. Due to the level of subjectivity in determining vicarious trauma, as well as burnout, and compassion fatigue, treatment is also individual and subjective. I believe awareness that emotional response, whether visible or internal, may be triggered by attending scenes of tragedies is important. The response may impact job performance or may evolve into desensitization. No response to traumatic scenes is in essence a response, also. Awareness and identifying coping strategies that are meaningful for the individual may be effective ways to manage vicarious trauma. Coping strategies could include any variety of actions- prayer, meditation, exercise, physical exertion, hobbies, time with family or friends, positive self-talk, music, reading, or others. Any positive activity that allows the mind to decompress from the stress of a critical incident could be helpful.

Offering awareness information and also, acknowledging that we each may respond to trauma in different ways are important first steps for an organization. Some of us may not express our feelings, internalizing or electing negative coping strategies. Our global culture is changing and encouraging mindfulness and relaying a wide range of resources on mental health. The stigma of sharing a need for psychological help, whether that help comes in the form of a sympathetic ear or a professionally organized plan, has been deeply imbedded in society, and noticeably in law enforcement culture. A law enforcement organization that wishes to retain and support their employees should consider including or encouraging the use of an employee assistance program, provide regular training or announcements to advise of preventive measures for stress management, and should maintain policies of confidentiality so that employees do not feel as though their expressed need is a sole indication of an inability to perform the duties of the position. The installation of a Critical Incident Stress Management Team, which includes access to a professional psychologist and trained peers, is another mechanism an agency may consider. Peer support and supervisor support are also vital options of which organizations should remind their members.

In your opinion, is the criminal justice system currently working fine, or does it need a lot of improvement?

There is definitely room for improvement in the criminal justice system. I believe that there is far too much inconsistency with regards to penalties for crimes and too much weakness in policies and enforcement due to financial and racial disparagement. There are scores of situations of both illogical sentencing and impropriety regarding wealth and race, but I am not able to share them here without presenting factual research.

How often are CSIs involved in investigating cold cases, and if so, do you have any success stories?

As a CSI, it has been rare that I have had the opportunity to assist in cold case re-investigation. In those instances, I had worked with senior homicide detectives in an effort to acquire funds to create a 3-dimensional representation of a scene, of the caliber of the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death- crime scene dioramas assembled by Frances Glessner Lee in the 1940s. We were not able to get support for funding. Other methods and tools came available that allowed more in-depth analyses of evidence (biological, latent print, shoe wear, etc.), however, I was not directly involved as a CSI. As a Forensic Analyst, I have been applying the updated algorithms of the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) to previously reviewed cases, as a form of quality assurance and I have been successful at identifying prints in 35 of the 150 that I have reviewed between my regular casework thus far. Although many of the identifications have been to the victims, there were a few suspects that were generated, too.

A key aspect of any investigation is the field officer’s expertise. If a crime is spread over a large area, then how do you collect and transport evidence to the lab in an effective manner?

When a scene covers a large area, I would request the assistance of other available CSIs or my supervision. As the primary CSI, I would request each person to handle specific aspects of the scene- photography, evidence measurements for sketching, collection, recording, or any other requirement. If there was no one available, I would enlist the aid of any officer or deputy who was available to accompany me throughout the process, to act as my recorder and assistant. Time is rarely the issue when it comes to scene processing, but lighting, weather, temperature, structural hazards, biohazards, media pressure, onlooker presence, or any combination of these can be issued. The goal must not be swayed by detective or victim pressure and impatience when we’re trying to find, document, and collect evidence of a crime. When evidence requires transport to a distant location, communication is key. Communication between agencies has rarely been my struggle. A phone call and an email would be exchanged to plan the transport of any evidence. Smaller agencies (many agencies, honestly) do not have full lab capabilities, so they rely on state and private labs for evidence analyses. Relationships are built between these agencies and the lab facilities to share policies and expectations for evidence transport, receipt, analysis, and retrieval. As an examiner now, my agency dictates when another agency can bring evidence and how much can be brought on each visit.

In modern times, the traditional criminal tactics evolved tremendously. In comparison to that, how have the investigation procedures evolved with this?

For many years, decisions for changes or improvements were slow-moving and often relied upon a statistical approach. The numbers of crimes, the quantities of evidence, the arrests, the convictions- all strategies focused on reducing the crime rate by increasing a factor here and a factor there. More recently, investigations are taking a more intel-driven approach. There has been a stronger push to return to community policing and engagement with citizens for a more accurate image of how to combat criminal behaviour. Law enforcement officers are being re-trained to listen and ask more questions to get a broader, yet more personal perspective from church leadership, community leaders, parents, people out and about, and attorneys. Hopefully, this approach will reduce the gang-related crime or deter the wayward follower from the path to jail, drug activity, or violent death.

As an Adjunct Professor, what are your key principles in training & educating the next generation of scientists?

Something that I am a strong proponent of is continuing education. I encourage every peer and every student to be a lifelong learner and take a class, listen to a webinar, and enroll in any opportunity that will allow them to network and pick up new information, strengthen or spark interests, or hone skills. There is a multitude of free or low-budget courses and webinars available through several different websites. Also, I recommend engaging with forensic organizations or organizations that share your interests. These affiliations offer great spaces to connect with like minds, exchange ideas, or provide training opportunities.

As the current generation of scientists gets involved in the growing variety of forensic disciplines, I encourage the development of observation skills along with the importance of being inquisitive. As we see and do the different tasks of our positions, question the methodology if it isn’t clear, use each moment as a chance to learn, apply that learning and continue to research where there may be gaps. That is how our fields grow and evolve.

Do you think virtual reality will be a useful tool in training students to become CSI?

Yes, emphatically.  I am encouraged by this question because I have had the great opportunity to contribute to the organization of a virtual component for So You Want to Be a CSI, the forensic textbook which I co-authored. The goal of functionalizing this plan was to give the instructor a chance to put the students on task by having them individually walk through a virtual scene and completely handle it as a CSI. Due to the constraints of COVID and its effects, budget limitations, and personnel retention, providing a live, practical scene can be a daunting event, especially for the novice teacher, the non-practitioner, or the instructor with multiple sections of courses. There is no substitute for true crime scene attendance, yet, a virtual approach is cost-effective and can be assessed to gauge areas for improvement for the trainee or student.

What do you think the biggest problem is in law enforcement today? Here in America? And around the world? And how can we solve some of the problems that you mentioned?

For ages, trust in police has declined. Within law enforcement, agents are allowing feelings and personal emotions to interfere with purposefully fulfilling the duties of the job. Understanding emotional intelligence and applying that awareness and control in situations and scenes will allow a logical approach, a more respectful interaction, and possibly a more appropriate outcome. The community does not respect law enforcement and law enforcement does not respect the community. It is a national and worldwide problem. This problem is not new or recent, but continual. Social media is now capturing all of these emotions and these shared emotions are being challenged.

Since much of the variation in emotional intelligence, respect, and judgment stems from upbringing, personal experiences, trauma, relationships, and overall personality-shaping contributors, solutions would have to pull from all areas of development. A combination of parental and organizational accountability and acknowledgment, an understanding of Golden Rule values, and the institution of a regular (annual or biennial) psychological evaluation of law enforcement officials would be a grand start, in my opinion.

What’s the best advice you can give to young women trying to pursue a career in forensics?

My first recommendation for women entering forensic studies and disciplines is to build connections. Join forensic organizations and subscribe to their emails. Attend webinars and conferences. Get that business card and note where and when you received it. Ask questions. Talk to people who are doing the job you are interested in pursuing. As your network grows, you will grow and be exposed to more options. I also recommend that you continue your formal education if feasible. For-credit or not-for-credit courses are important. Never stop learning,

Yet another tidbit of advice is to be true to yourself- you don’t have to limit your womanhood to fit into the position. We know that men have historically dominated most fields, but we do not have to forfeit or suppress our womanhood to be great learners, performers, or leaders in this or any field. By nature, women are equipped to be analytical, inquisitive, and nurturing and these innate skills should be embraced and utilized in forensics. Suspend self-judgment and find that space in forensic science that fits you, your niche. In summation, stay connected, accept help, be the best woman you are meant to be, keep learning, and train the Next.

You have published textbooks, poems, and song lyrics as an author/co-author. How would you describe the stories/poems that you write? What is your motivation to write crime-solving fiction?

In my earliest days as a Mobile Unit Technician (AKA CSI), I wrote songs- music and lyrics, to distract myself from some of the scenes and from whatever life issue I thought I was experiencing. When I had downtime, I was always thinking of some project to keep my mind active and occupied. I sang in a couple of groups and on choirs and I had my lyrics copywritten, as an eventual legacy. I have rarely been without a pen and a notepad. The poetry came a little later, also as a tool of distraction or method of decompression, long before cell phone games, social media, and fidget spinners became available.

I continue to carry a notepad, making to-do lists or jotting down ideas and plans. I wish I could write “crime-solving fiction,” but my conscious mind is not half as creative as my sleeping mind. I dream vividly detailed dreams and have been recording them for more than 30 years. Some of the dreams have reflected my career in crime scenes, and I’ve awakened to draw rough sketches, outlining evidence and objects or furniture in the scene. I have also had dreams with classroom themes, fingerprints, and office themes, as well as sorority dreams. In the very near future, I will publish my dream series. I feel like I have been given these subconscious movies for a reason. My motivation to write is self-serving. It’s therapeutic and memory-enhancing. In my first psychology class at York College of Pennsylvania, many moons ago, a graphologist shared information about handwriting analysis. She reviewed a portion of my writing and told me that I would achieve what I set out to do, but that my absentmindedness would be a problem unless I wrote things down more. The seed had been planted years before that, but this new information was fertilizer. I truly write because I enjoy reading and I want to get my thoughts out of my head, and in front of me.

What are some everyday tips or tricks that you use to keep motivated or on a daily schedule?

I read Jeffrey Deaver’s books (author of The Bone Collector) for years and one of his characters shared that “if I stop moving, they’ll get me.” There was no real “they” in the story, only her struggles with her perfectionist mentality and need to impress the ghosts of her past. I sometimes feel that way, so I keep moving. I don’t believe I’m a perfectionist in any way, yet I strive to be the best ME that I can be. I walk when I talk in prayer at home, in the classroom before students arrive, and in my own office; I talk to my mother and my sweetheart frequently and I show and tell them and my daughter (and my five pets) that I love them. I recommend giving as a true means of fulfillment. Giving time, giving your talent, or giving in whatever way you can give. Teaching is one way to share what I have learned. I believe that knowledge should not be hoarded. I also believe that we should always be preparing for the next Next. By that I mean, the Next person who will step in and continue what I have started or continued, and the person who could come right beside or behind them. Our employment and skill are temporary adhesives and to keep that field, that discipline, and that story going, we need to share what we know and eventually step aside and see the growth as our next Next steps. They may continue or revise the plan, but that is a good thing. Seeing those that I have encountered through the classroom, training, or brief information exchanges move forward in greatness is motivational for me.

Having worked for almost 3 decades in the Forensic Domain do you still wish to contribute to this domain? How?

I feel like teaching is a great way to contribute and connect with the growing forensic community. I love attending and participating in symposiums and conferences, networking and learning, as well as gaining insight into new and transitioning practices. I am always listening, taking notes, and asking questions, hoping to build relationships of mutual, professional benefit. I have made some exceptional connections through forensic associations and conferences, and with LinkedIn groups and individuals, that have led to great opportunities. My association with Legal Desire, involvement in international conference presentations, podcast interviews, book collaborations, dissertation coaching, and more have branched from my network of LinkedIn professionals.

I established Generation ForSciTe as my family business to expand on our varying creativity with the primary goal of enriching others in the forensic realm. The ‘Generation’ represents the four generations of Leggie (my great grandmother, mother, myself, and my daughter). ‘ForSciTe’ stands for Forensic Science and Technology, which was a student club I created when I taught high school sciences. I wanted to instill the importance of sciences and incorporate its relationship with technology while playing on the word foresight. Generation ForSciTe encompasses proofreading and content review, forensic consultancy, and creative designs in photography and crafts, with room to grow and evolve just as the world of forensic science has continued to grow and evolve.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Leggie L. Boone, Ph.D., Forensic Latent Fingerprint Analyst, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Florida, U.S. appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

While investigating the Lion Poaching case of Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat, he stumbled upon a new area and created a new domain in Wildlife Crime Investigation. The new area was recognised by WWF Expert Shri Samir Sinha, IFS. He christened the area as, ‘ Use of Conventional Forensics in Wildlife Crime Investigation’. He shared his Forensic knowledge with the Wildlife Crime Investigators. His idea is to create a network of police officers who share his thoughts and contribute to the efforts of Wildlife Conservation as Police Officers.

1. Take us on your journey from student life to being Joint Director at the Central Bureau of Investigation.

My father joined the British Army and fought in the second world war. After independence, he was with the Indian Army. Spartan ethics and discipline in life were the hallmarks. Studied in Central School throughout UP, Gujarat, and Mumbai. Graduated and Post-graduated from St Stephens College Delhi in History (1980-85). Was awarded UGC Fellowship. Fell short of two semesters to complete my M Phil from JNU from the Centre of Historical Studies, before getting selected in the IPS in the year 1986. 

Was allotted to the Gujarat cadre. Served nine districts, two metropolitan cities (Ahmedabad and Vadodara), and sensitive branches as Intelligence & CID Crime. Honed my skills in the application of Forensics in detecting cold cases in CID Crime for almost half a decade. Was awarded President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 2004. Bijal Joshi gang-rape case which was investigated by me ended in the conviction of five accused for life, due to DNA evidence. In 2007 ten Asiatic Lions were poached in the Gir Sanctuary. The State Government decided to hand over the case to me for investigation. Was able to detect and convict 38 poachers, possibly the biggest wildlife crime conviction in India. The case was detected through the application of Forensics. 

A stint as IGP of Gujarat Prisons added yet another flavour to Policing. Won ‘Manthan Award’ from ‘Digital Empowerment Foundation of India’ for establishing the ‘Telemedicine facility’ having Satellite connectivity for Sabarmati Jail for custodial Healthcare which was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Gujarat. 

Was inducted into the CBI in 2010 as Joint Director, primarily because of possession of Forensic knowledge, and a new Zone devoted to Forensics was created for the first time in the CBI. As Joint Director CBI Delhi supervised Interpol Division, Forensics Division, and System’s Division. Received Appreciation Note from FBI Director for superb co-operation. Detected Jnaneswari Train accident and Netai Massacre case of West Bengal in 2010. Both the cases were detected through Forensics. Forensic appraisal of the scene of the crime in the Bhanwari Devi case was supervised by me and extracted incriminating evidences against the accused. DNA profiling of charred bones of Bhanwari Devi was sent to FBI Lab which was the turning point in the case. Shehla Masood murder of Bhopal was handed over to me and ended in a conviction for 5 accused. The forensic application was the crucial key. TAFSU – Technical and Forensic Support Units were established in 17 Zonal Directors of CBI. Was awarded the Sanctuary Asia award for the conviction and use of Forensics in the investigation of the Asiatic Lion Poaching case. Awarded with Presidents’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services in 2014 as Joint Director CBI Mumbai. 

58 accused have been convicted so far in my career. Maximum use of successful Forensics applications has been the common denominator in all the cases investigated by me. 

My tenure with the CBI came to conclusion in 2016 and I returned to my Cadre Gujarat and got posted as Special Director Anti-Corruption Bureau Gujarat State. I retired as the Director-General of Police and Director Anti-Corruption Bureau in Gujarat State.  

2. How important is it for a Forensic officer to visit a crime scene for investigation?

The statements recorded before a Police officer is not tenable in the Court of law. Under these circumstances, the Role of a Forensic Expert becomes very important, as their testimony and Expert report are tenable in the Court of Law. Hence, it is an advantage to seek their help at the time of collection of the evidence, so that their expert report can be held by the Court. More so, Police officers are not professionally trained for the proper collection and packaging of the evidence. The identification and collection of the evidences under their supervision will go a long way in seeking a conviction in the case. In all my investigations, the Forensic team used to be an integral part of the investigating team. In the Lion Poaching case of Gir Sanctuary, a team of 15 Forensic experts were with me for almost a month inside the Gir Sanctuary. Most of my convictions were the result of a strong Forensic interface. 

3. So far you have 58 successful convictions (Conventional & Wildlife Crime) in cases supervised under your guidance solely based on Forensic application during the investigations through the latest Scientific Aids and tools. What are some of the most popular scientific aids and techniques being used for investigations in our country?

Psychological forms of detection of deception techniques in an investigation like Psychological assessment of criminals and scenes of crimes, Psychological Autopsy, Forensic Statement Analysis, Audio Statement Analysis, LVA-Layered Voice Analysis, SDS – Suspect Detection System, Eye-Detect, Polygraph, Brain fingerprinting, and Narco- analysis have played a major role in the investigations conducted by me. DNA Fingerprinting of late has been used in a very unconventional manner by me, in the case of Traps organised while I was in the Anti-Corruption Bureau as Director. 

4. You have been serving as ADC to the Governor, Joint Director of Central Bureau of Investigation, and Director Anti-Corruption Bureau. How are these roles different from normal policing?

The role of ADC to the Governor taught me the art of looking after the safety and security of the VIP, the Hon’ble Governor. As ADC to the Governor extensive touring of the State along with the Governor helped me understand Gujarat much better. Various meetings with the Bureaucrats and the functionaries helped me understand the Administrative Eco-System much better, which is crucial to understanding the law and order situation of the state. Understanding the Tribal development issues was a new component of my training as a Police officer, which played a major role in formulating the concept of ‘ Policing a Tribal dominated area’. The job of ADC in the early formative years gave me a panoptic view of the State administration which subsequently helped me in Police administration and normal policing.

As Joint Director of CBI of TFC Zone – Technical, Forensic and Co-operation focussed on Upgrading the Forensic and Technical skills of the CBI. Close co-operation with Interpol Lyon ( France ) helped me understand International Police Co-operation methods and modalities and undertake extending help in the overseas investigations of various States of the country, with different countries of the Globe. In routine policing, these issues do not come to the fore.

As Joint Director Mumbai of the Economic Offences wing and thereafter as Joint Director Mumbai for the Anti-Corruption Branch helped me to understand and investigate cases related to high-value financial crimes, scams, and high-level corruption in the Bureaucracy and the Public Sector undertakings. This canvas of exposure is very difficult to get in routine policing. Anti-Corruption work is a different area altogether as it’s a specialised agency working only on the Anti-corruption matters. 

The areas enumerated above are generally not covered in normal policing which primarily focuses on law and order duty and routine conventional investigations. The specialised agencies focus only on the special areas of policing and hence become experts in the specialised area of policing.    

5. Talking about the Lion Poaching case of Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat, The new area ‘Use of Conventional Forensics in Wildlife Crime Investigation ‘was recognised by WWF Expert Shri Samir Sinha, IFS. Can you please share your experience with us?

I never had the opportunity to investigate a Wildlife crime and that too of such a massive scale having International and National ramifications before. Had equipped myself with adequate professional knowledge in the investigation of crime with the high-quality forensic interface, by the time I had picked up my rank as the Deputy Inspector General of Police. Bijal Joshi gang-rape case of 2002 had already resulted in the conviction of five accused for life. The case could reach conviction only because of the DNA fingerprinting resorted for the first time in a rape case in Gujarat. Had mastered the art and expertise in the application of conventional forensics.  

Wildlife Crime investigation generally focuses on the application of biological forensics primarily. The Gir Lion poaching case was detected, investigated, and convicted using all the possible Forensic tools applied in a conventional crime in addition to Biological forensics. This confluence made Shri Samir Sinha craft a new vista of Convergence of Conventional Forensics and Wildlife crime forensics. Biological Forensics including DNA was being traditionally applied by the Forest Department in the investigation of Wildlife Crime which focussed on the identification and analysis of hair, bones, flesh, and blood of poached animals. In addition to the traditional Biological forensic application, the conventional Forensics tools were used by me a conventional crime investigator. Following conventional tools were used by me in this case. For the first time, conventional and modern Forensic & Psychological deception detection techniques like  Polygraph, Brain-fingerprinting, and Narco-analysis were performed on the accused with the permission of the Court. The creation of a new investigation paradigm was thus opened in the Wildlife Crime investigation. A well-conceived and co-ordinated marriage took place between conventional and Wildlife crime Forensics interface for future forays in this field. A replicable model thus came into being.  

6. In your opinion, how important is it for a police officer/detective to have a scientific temperament for effective policing & investigations of crimes?

According to the Crime figures shown by NCRB, the following is the Conviction rate in major offences: Murder – 44%, Rape – 34%, Kidnapping, and abduction – 36%, Rioting – 30%, and Hurt – 42%. The average National Conviction rate comes to 37% in major crimes approximately. The figure is testimony to the fact that the traditional methods adopted in crime investigation have not yielded desired results. The need is, therefore to focus more on Scientific and evidence-based investigations to enhance the conviction rate.

The changing scenario of crime and criminals does need a police officer to have a scientific temperament for effective policing. Modern cybercrime investigations are very scientific and hence the need for techno-savvy police officers to detect and investigate such new forms of crime. The higher the digitisation and computerisation, the higher will be the need for techno-savvy crime investigators. A techno-savvy police officer can not only detect, investigate and help convict an accused but also help in the prevention of the crime. Our criminal justice system is primarily based on ocular evidence which is prone to be hostile at the time of examination. Technical and Forensic evidences can stand the judicial scrutiny in favour of the prosecution.  Article 51(a)(h) of the Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution, exhorts all the citizens to develop a scientific temper.  

7. What are your views on the scope of Wildlife Forensics in India?

As gleaned from the success in the investigation of the Gir Sanctuary Asiatic Lion Poaching case, Wildlife Forensics needs to expand its horizons to the realm of using conventional Forensic tools too. The application of Conventional Forensics along with Biological Forensics proved to be the last nail in the coffin leading to its conviction. Reading through all the three Judgements delivered by the Hon’ble Court one will be able to find that the Hon’ble Court laid heavy reliance on Forensic Evidence collected by the police. 

I find that the application of ‘Locards Principal of Exchange’ has not been applied and appreciated by the Wildlife Crime investigators. There is a need to train Forest officers in comprehensive Forensic application in their investigations. Not all Forest Crimes are investigated by the Police. The majority of Forest related crimes are investigated by the Forest officers. 

It’s very heartening to find that the average conviction rate in 2020 vide the NCRB data,  in Forest related crimes is to the tune of 55%, which is a high conviction rate. The average conviction rate in major body-related crimes is only 37% in 2020, vide the NCRB data. I can certainly bet that if Forensics is comprehensively applied in Forest related crimes also, then the rate can further be raised manifold. There is an acute need to have a Comprehensive Forensic Laboratory exclusively for the Forest Crimes with the Forest Department. Thorough training in comprehensive Forensics for all the Forest officers and staff is the need of the hour. It’s pertinent to mention here that the statement recorded before a Forest officer is tenable in the Court of Law and hence a high conviction rate is realized. The conviction rate will further enhance manifold if the Forest officers use comprehensive Forensics after getting a thorough training in the application of a wide spectrum of Forensics. 

8. You have trained National & International Police Officers. How is it different to train Officers abroad & in India? And what are the challenges encountered by you?

I have trained more than 1000 Indian Forest officers and the Law Enforcement officers across the country (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, UP, Delhi, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra) and abroad about 1500 officers of (Asia- Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Taiwan, Nepal, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Philippines Africa- Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Namibia, Lesotho, Seychelles, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, South Sudan, Mauritius, Uganda, Togo, Cote D’ivoire,  Middle East- Palestine, Iraq Eastern Europe- Bosnia- Herzegovina Oceania- Fiji, North America- Common wealth of Dominica, into the application of Forensics in general crimes and wildlife crime cases, through the case study of the Gir Asiatic Lion Poaching investigation.  

The common universal observation found during the training is that officers lack in knowledge of Forensics and Forensic applications. The other weakness found was that there is an absolute dearth of professionally trained Prosecutors in the Courts. There is an acute paucity of Wildlife Crime Forensic Experts too. The Training needs should therefore be a high priority for all the three, the investigators, the prosecutors, and the Forensic Experts.

There is a variety of Forest related crimes in India due to its rich flora and fauna, hence scope to get exposure and expertise is very high in India. This canvas is limited in the Foreign countries and hence they have little exposure to Wildlife Crime as compared to Indian officers. The Foreign countries, however, score on skills and facilities for investigation, especially the Forensic facilities and the expertise available to them.  

9. While working at the Police Department, you might have had numerous occasions dealing with crime scenes, victims & suspects interrogation, and dead bodies. Did it affect your personal life?

I have had numerous occasions dealing with crime scenes, victims & suspects interrogation, and dead bodies. It certainly affected my personal life initially when I joined the duty as an ASP. Gradually became immune to it as it was almost a routine affair. For example, as ASP one had to personally supervise the investigation of Unnatural Deaths of women. Several such cases were supervised by me, which necessitated close encounters with dead bodies. As per Hindu tradition if one has visited a dead body one needs to take bath after the visit. For some time I could follow the tradition but gradually I felt that it was coming in the way of my performance. 

Hence had to do away with it. While handling Kandla Cyclone in 1999 and the Kutch earthquake in 2000, wherein I would have seen and handled thousands of dead bodies and their cremation with diesel and other combustible material. Ghastly crime scenes, handling dangerous criminals and suspects lingered on in the mind for a long and had an impact on the mental health. 

While investigating the Jnaneswari Train Accident case as Joint Director CBI Delhi, in the year 2010 in Jhargram West Bengal, wherein 149 passengers were crushed to death while sleeping, early in the morning, the ghastly scene is still fresh in the mind. We resorted to DNA Fingerprinting of the mutilated body remains to establish the identity. We stood inside the Kolkata mortuary for eight hours to extract the best pieces from the dead body remains to get the DNA. It was possibly the biggest interaction with the dead bodies in my life. We were successful in establishing the identity of seventeen dead bodies through DNA Fingerprinting technology and handed over the remains to their relatives for the final rites. A tremendous sense of satisfaction was achieved when the State Government of West Bengal and the relatives of the deceased thanked me for helping them in closing their case and giving a final closure to the deceased. 

In order to perform well professionally, the hazards enumerated above were toughening the mind and the mental state too. It requires nerves of steel and a very strong heart.  

10. The police professionals are called at various scenes of crime for investigation regularly. How did you manage to indulge into research work in spite of administrative work? What challenges did you encounter while doing so?

I Graduated and Post Graduated in History from St Stephen’s College Delhi. For Research went to JNU, Centre for Historical Research for my M Phil again in History. When I joined the IPS, the legacy hounded me and always guided me to look for a deeper understanding of the issues. Maintained a diary of my experiences and observations. Couldn’t write long articles but I jotted down points always. I made power-point presentations from the year 1999 when I bought my first desktop and saved them. Possessing a laptop helped me tremendously in building my observations in due course of time. 

I served in Branches like CID Crime (2002-2007 ), IGP Prisons (2007-2009), CBI Delhi and Mumbai as Joint Director ( 2010 to 2016 ), Spl Director ACB Gujarat and Director Anti-Corruption Gujarat ( 2016-2021 ) gave me ample time to indulge in intellectual exercises and academic work. These Branch postings were not having much demanding having long hours of fieldwork. I could focus in a limited way though.

I started teaching and delivering lectures on Forensics from 2000 onwards backed by my rich experience and having the data too. Post-retirement I am busy completing my Ph.D. from the National Forensic Sciences University. Propose to write a book on Application Forensics after I complete my Ph.D.

11. Police Departments all over the world are struggling with backlog cases. What can be done to minimise the pendency of cases?

Would like to draw attention to a figure for 2020 rolled out by the NCRB. A look at the figures will convince that there is a dire need to have an appraisal of all the cases filed if they need to be charge-sheeted at all! The rate of charge-sheeting in rape cases are 82% and the conviction rate is 39%, Murder – the rate of charge-sheeting is 85% and the rate of conviction is 41% and in Rioting cases, the rate of charge-sheeting is 89% and the conviction rate is 30%. The corollary is that half of the cases chrge-sheeted do not end in conviction. This certainly a big burden on the criminal justice system. The figure will stand testimony to the fact that all the cases need not be charge-sheeted for trial in the Court and it requires a change of the Charge-sheet mentality being afflicted. 

Generally and traditionally in all the States registration of FIR means finally charge-sheeting the case without fail and sending the accused for trial as a routine exercise. It is the duty of the various rungs of Supervising officers to professionally appraise the evidences at hand, absolutely and apply their on the appraisal of the evidences gathered and take a call, whether to go in for charge-sheet or not or go in for an appropriate summary. It is high time to halt this trend and help reduce the burden on the Investigation officers and the Hon’ble Courts. This would require a high level of professionalism in the investigation and extremely high level of incisive supervision by the supervisory officers, which is highly wanting. Would like to highlight that in CBI all FIRs do not necessarily end in charge-sheeting. Summaries are filed in weak cases in which chances of conviction are low. 

This professional strategy has resulted in a high conviction rate in the CBI. It’s the result of professionalism in investigation with the forensic interface at all steps, a high degree of incisive supervision by the various rungs of supervisory officers, and the cutting edge vetting by the Legal luminaries at the exclusive command of the CBI. No wonder the present rate of conviction in the CBI is approximately 70% as stated by the CBI Director SK Jaiswal before the top court. The CBI Director has also assured the top Court to raise the conviction rate to 75% by August 2022. 

The various Police forces need to emulate this strategy of the CBI to unburden the Investigators, Courts and thereby, raise the conviction rate.

Pruning of witnesses and so-called evidences need to be resorted to. More application of mind is required to be put in by the supervisory officers in the investigation. We also need to have more Courts with minimal adjournments. 

12. What is the most rewarding aspect of the job? What will be your advice to those seeking a career in Forensic Science & Policing?

The most rewarding aspect of the Police job is delivering instant justice to the victim by the just use of power one is endowed with. Have umpteen instances where I could save the lives of so many people facing dangerous situations in their lives during the Kutch earthquake (2000) and the Kandla Cyclone (1999). Nothing is more rewarding than saving human lives.

Getting 58 accused convicted through the use of Forensics and professional investigation, in my career of 35 years, is my biggest achievement as a Police officer. Very many cases are now on the Judgement stage which assures me to enhanced my conviction figure. 

My advice to the budding police officers is to take a keen interest in Forensics to become an extra effective Police officer in an extraordinary way. Most of the inputs given to a Police officer during the probationary days are constant in content like IPC, CrPC, IEA, and various other Major and Minor Acts. It’s only Forensics that value adds to the expertise as an investigator and makes investigation an Art. 

Forensics adds a rich flavour of creativity to the investigation. I coined a new area of ‘Fusion Forensics’, wherein two different Branches of Forensics are used to get an opinion, and inevitably the opinions match, thereby value-adding to an exhibit’s potential to be used differently and fortifying its forensic potential. This is what I call, “Creative Forensics” wherein we play with the exhibits very creatively. Application of Forensics is an art. All the Scientific Investigation tools are scientific in nature, but their use is an art. Being a student of Humanities, see the investigation as a Creative form of Art to deliver justice. My case studies of successful cases which ended in conviction are full of such forays into creativity in Forensics as an art form. 

I dedicate my success as a Police officer to all those Forensic Experts who stood by me like a rock and guided me into the professional investigation with Forensic Interface leading to a conviction. I see a very strong future for Forensics as the Hon’ble PM and the Home Minister are rooted in strengthening Forensics. Please note that the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Narendra Modi established the first Forensic University in the world in Gujarat – Gujarat Forensic Sciences University. It’s now been upgraded to the National level and named National Forensic Sciences University with new Branches in Goa and Tripura. This is going to have a huge impact on the Forensic field by rolling out hundreds of Forensic experts every year to fill the gap of vacancies in the Forensic Departments all over the country, thereby raising the bar of Forensic application at an all India level. The budding Forensic Experts and Police officers need to reap a rich harvest from this golden opportunity thrown open by the present Government. It will help raise the standard of investigation overall.

13. Do you still wish to explore and contribute to the field of policing & forensics? How?

I have decided to devote my retired life to the cause of Forensics teaching, training, and improving the standard of criminal investigation overall. Wish to kindle a crusade to promote maximum usage of Forensics knowledge & application in all criminal investigations at an All India level, among the Police Forces and the Law Enforcement Agencies. 

Have been training Law Enforcement officers all over the country and abroad in Forensic applications in crime investigations. Have been appointed as Professor of Eminence at the National Forensic Sciences University Gujarat and as Emeritus Resource Faculty at the Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat wish to continue my mission. 

It’s my passion and mission with a vision to improve the image of the Police in the eyes of the public by raising the conviction rate through the application of Forensic tools and scientific evidence-based investigation. Help me and guide me to spread the message of maximum application of Forensics to improve the overall conviction rate and the image of the police. Overall, the average conviction rate in India for major crimes is as low as 37% only. The challenge is the rest 63% of the cases for all of us.  

There is a huge scope of work in this field which is unexplored. Let’s enhance it by using maximum Forensics. It’s very heartening to find both Hon’ble PM and HM rooting the cause of Forensics in a big way. I think the right time has just come. The iron is hot. 

The other emerging area is the use of Preventive Forensics in Non-Criminal (business, industrial & private individual) cases. Trying to focus more on this emerging area.

Think Forensics, think beyond. Let Forensics be a game-changer. Let Forensics be intrinsic to Policing. Wish to do my bit. Post covid, I am the ‘Forensic Warrior’

The post In Conversation with Mr. Keshav Kumar, IPS, former Director General of Police & Director Anti Corruption Bureau, Gujarat, India appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

The deep insight and depth of knowledge in Forensic Science and Crime Investigation with creativity and innovation nourished his research capabilities in him. Consequently, he left no stone unturned and presented and published numerous research papers of national and international repute. Forensic research 2015 Atlanta U.S.A invited as speaker to deliver a lecture on pitfalls of quantitation of drugs in drug-related deaths.

Having a vast experience of about 24 years as an Officer in the field of Forensic Science and Crime Investigation and having inspected 300 various types of scenes of crime – homicide, suicide, accident, rape, gang rape, arson – the experience of this genuine forensic scientist helped him in analyzing and reconstructing the scenes of crime in many doubting and sensational cases and analyzed about 8000 cases and more than 15000 exhibits of criminal cases of chemistry and toxicology, published several papers in national as well as international repute. The prosecution witness of Dr. Vinod Dhingra before the court of law has been very crucial in putting the culprits behind the bars. The Directorate of Forensic Science, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, honored this Forensic Scientist and Crime Investigator with DFS Meritorious AWARD–2008, in the field of Chemical Sciences.

In June 2012 at the All India Forensic Science Conference in Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir, in March 2015 at the All India Forensic Science Conference in Bhopal, he was awarded for presenting the best paper in Chemical Sciences. He has also been awarded for the best papers on several occasions. District Gwalior DM honored him on 26^th Jan 2017 for solving several blind murders.

It is a matter of great pride and honour that Dr. Vinod Dhingra was invited to deliver lectures and talks to judicial officers, investigating officers of M.P. Police, and prosecution officers.

He also delivered lectures and examiner at various universities like Bundelkhand University Jhansi, B. B. A. University Lucknow, Jiwaji University Gwalior, and the Punjabi University of Patiala.

What inspired you to join the Forensic domain during those early days, when there wasn’t much awareness about Forensics? How was this step perceived by others?

Absolutely correct being a synthetic organic chemist I was too unaware at that time regarding forensic science but literally when the public was in the opinion that in India crime/criminal tracing rate and conviction rate were poor in the criminal justice system. I thought there must be an application of science to solve cases accurately without using the third-degree treatment and to rescue innocent persons. It was challenging to apply chemistry in solving the crimes and most of the procedures and tests involved chemical reactions and I had performed most of the tests during my research work.

Based on your experience, what are some of the most critical and challenging aspects of Crime scene investigation

You know the crime scene investigation is always challenging because every case is unique in its own aspect but the falls from height and drowning etc. are challenging in the way if somebody is used as a homicide.

In your opinion, what approaches are required to ensure there is no backlog of cases in the Forensic Laboratory and to clear any existing backlog of cases?

For quality examination and following SOPs it is mandatory to employ desired forensic scientists in the laboratory and modern automated instrumentation may be useful.

You have attended many crime scenes of different nature. What difference do you find compared to working in the laboratory setting?

The approach of solving the case at the crime scene is somewhat application of all senses as well as basic knowledge however the laboratory examination requires basic skills and applications of set SOPs.

How important is it for a Forensic Officer to visit a crime scene for investigation?

Definitely, each crime scene must be visited by the forensic officer which is responsible for the proper collection and preservation of physical evidence including their positions required in crime scene reconstructions.

Most of the professionals working at various FSLs are overburdened by the casework. But you managed to indulge in research work in spite of all this. How important is it to do so?

Yes, it is true forensic professionals are nowadays overburdened but if you have passion and curiosity about obtaining results in scenarios where available methods are not result-oriented then definitely you must apply some research aspects and after getting results it must be shared on the scientific platforms for suggestions and validations.

You have delivered lectures and talks to judicial officers, IO’s, prosecution officers, and various Universities. How was this experience different from that of a laboratory setting? What were the frequently asked questions by the students and professionals from different backgrounds?

Since I was previously engaged in the teaching profession and worked as an assistant professor of chemistry so the basic teaching skills are the same and since I am doing practical work so it is easily applicable for me to update them on correct practices in their routine work.

What do you think about forensic science technology in movies as it compares to real-life crime-solving/investigation?

Earlier TV shows like CID were showing imaginary work but nowadays various script writer-directors and producers are applying forensic science judiciously with the consultation of forensic experts.

What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of your job and the most challenging aspect?

As per the challenging aspect, the job is 24×7 due to which many family functions are missed most of the time, but it is rewarding when victims get justice on behalf of our work.

Has getting exposed to a large no. of crime scenes affected your personal life? What are some tips to balance your personal & professional life?

Yes, family quality time is affected but it may be compensated with periodical holidays and leaves with family members and they also know the society’s requirement of experts.

Do you have a story to tell about an incredible case that you solved that you’re really proud of?

There are a lot of cases to discuss which were solved in the laboratory as well as in crime scenes where we have no clues like in a case where drug peddlers were using an injection of medicine but our chemical analysis proved narcotic drugs in the medicine vials. Similarly, in Bhopal lady was selling illicit liquor but the police were unaware because she was applying dye and bleaching powder on the basis of chemical awareness and analysis. We have solved cases similarly in crime scene investigations where all the witnesses were hostile on the basis of our reports they were penalized.

What’s your best tip for aspiring forensics scientists?

Hard work and no shortcuts.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Vinod Dhingra, Senior Scientific Officer, Police Training School, Tighra, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

What inspired your interest in the Forensic domain and when did you decide that Forensic Science is the career for you to pursue?

I grew up in the forensic science field because my father is a pathologist who in the 80s created in the South of Italy a laboratory named Studio Indagini Mediche E Forensi (SIMEF) where there are performed criminalistics analysis. For decades, much famous casework has been investigated at SIMEF.

You have a Master’s degree in Psychological and Behavioural techniques in Criminal investigation and diplomas in several post-degree courses in Forensic Science. But you have a Ph.D. in Forensic Genetics. What inspired your interest in Forensic Genetics?

When I started my degree studies, DNA fingerprinting had been recently introduced by Prof. Alec Jeffrey from the University of Leicester (UK) who utilized this new method to solve a double murder case. I was fascinated by its potential.

In fact, also my degree thesis and the one of the School of Specialization in Applied Genetics were concerning forensic DNA typing.

Over the years I have assisted in the entire evolution of DNA typing from the first techniques to the nowadays fast and very sensitive methods that allow also us to analyze trace samples (i.e. touch DNA).

You are the author of more than 100 papers about Forensic Genetics. In your opinion, what are the most important areas within Forensic Genetics research and development today?

In my opinion, great potential in forensic genetics has the introduction of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) method that appears useful because of the rapidity, high sensitivity, high multiplexing capacity (that means the ability to analyze simultaneously different types of genetic markers such as autosomal and sexual STR, SNPs, mt-DNA, ecc) using relatively reduced sample quantity.

In particular, Forensic DNA Phenotyping (FDP) appears really promising. FDP refers to the possibility of obtaining information about the externally visible characteristics of the donor of evidence.

It consists in the analysis of SNPs markers for the prediction of externally visible characteristics (i.e. color eyes, hairs, skin), of biogeography ancestry (that is, the geographical origin of a person’s biological ancestors and a person’s age) with the aim to create a composite sketch useful to identify the donor of a crime scene evidence. This is really relevant when no suspects are available for comparison of DNA profiles using traditional STR markers or no match is found with a national database.

You are the founder and President of the Worldwide Association of Women Forensic Experts (WAWFE). What was your inspiration and what were the challenges that you encountered?

In 2011, I founded WAWFE (www.wawfe.org) when I realized that the Boarding Committees of many forensic associations especially in some countries were mostly made up of men even if the conference participants were generally mostly women. Because of this, the main WAWFE aim is to promote the recognition of women in the international forensic community This is very important, especially in countries where generally women still meet difficulties in the job market and are discriminated against in particular when trying approaching to this specific field.

The other aim is obviously to favor the dissemination of forensic sciences through the organization of events, courses, and conferences, the publication of technical manuals.

I’m proud to see the association has grown up a lot during the last years with the support of many persons (not only women) who collaborate actively in realizing several initiatives. To date, WAWFE has 23 coordinators (women and men) all over the world.

To celebrate forensic women, in 2020 I created the International Forensic Women Day that is held each year on October 16th. My idea achieved immediately the attention and support of the Presidents of other international associations first of all the one of Antoinette Campbell, founder of the Association of Women in Forensic Science, Inc. (AWIFS), that is WAWFE partner. Due to the great number of women involved in forensics, in my opinion, this is a way to recognize their efforts.

You are a member of several international scientific associations and journals, and a reviewer for numerous national and international publications pertaining to Forensic Sciences. What are the general issues that you have encountered during your assessment? What advice would you like to give the young researchers of the Forensic domain who wish to publish their research work in reputed journals?

When I started my career in forensics there were few forensic women, and still, there were prejudices and difficulties, because this field was predominantly male interest.

In addition, some technologies were in development, especially in the field of forensic genetics. During years I never stopped studying, I still continue attending courses on specific topics of my interest, because it’s relevant to keep updated with the last findings in the field. In addition, I continued performing research for developing and validating new methods useful in forensic biology and genetics. Many studies have been presented in conferences or published in scientific journals. I suggest to young researchers to identify the main investigation line according to their own interest and to perform studies related to it, trying to publish results in peer-review journals with a high impact index. Many journals are now available online but not all of them have a good reputation or are indexed. Because of this, it’s really important to check information about the journal quality indicators before submitting a manuscript. In addition, it’s relevant to prepare a good paper, detailing research objectives, methods, and results. Being accurate in this, avoid the reviewers asking for many revisions or rejecting the manuscript.

You have been a DNA Expert Consultant at Italian Criminal and Civil Courts. Describe your experience.

During many years of activity, I dealt with many casework such as homicides, suicides, human remains identification, parentage relationship, paternity tests.

I had many cases famous in Italy, some of them still opened. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to collaborate with UK police analyzing samples related to cold cases.

As an expert of the Prosecutor or of the Criminal court my work consists in analyzing DNA from the evidence (e.g. blood, saliva, hair, etc.) collected at the crime scene and comparing DNA profiles from evidence with that of the victim(s) or of the suspect(s), if available. Sometimes I can go directly to the crime scene to collect the evidence that I will later analyze at the laboratory.

As experts in the Civil Court, I generally analyze biological samples useful for paternity tests or complex parentage relationship reconstructions, generally from living people but sometimes also from deceased people (i.e. bones after an exhumation).

How is being an expert consultant and a researcher different from being an academician?

In my case, the two aspects are strictly connected because I have the opportunity to share my previous experience related to my research and to real casework with students and they are fascinated with this because they can see the practical application of all that they’re studying in theory and also the main problems they have to face. Real experience in my opinion increases the ability to share knowledge.

Many forensic professionals have raised concerns about the discrepancies between the fictional portrayal of Forensic Science and its application in the real world. In your opinion, do these discrepancies exist in relation to Forensic Genetics? If so, in what way? And do we have to be gravely concerned about such discrepancies?

In the last years, television shows, movies, and true crime have produced high expectations for the contribution that scientists and technologies can offer in solving violent crimes.

This so-called “CSI effect” has produced worldwide an excessive interest by students and professionals towards forensic science. In fact, many persons started their careers in the field due to media influence.

But the reality is very different from what appears on TV and real problems and difficulties are great! In fact, due to the hard confrontation with reality, many people who started the forensic activity with great expectations, then they were not able to continue with it.

For example, some forensic science students who came to my laboratory for training, felt bad during autopsies or when viewing a putrefied body, or a lot of blood at the crime scene. Reality is very different from the theory, and also the resistance capacity of each one in front of difficult situations.

What is the most rewarding aspect of the job? What is the best piece of advice for those seeking a career in Forensic Science?

The results of a forensic DNA analysis may contribute to establishing the guilt or innocence of a person, to establish or exclude familiar relationships, because of this, it requires a great scientific competency that may only be achieved by specific education and training, pluriennual experience, application of standardized scientific protocols and obviously stringent professional ethics. Because of this, to become a good forensic expert it’s necessary not only to study at degree and post-degree levels, attending courses on specific topics of interest organized by professionals in the field. Furthermore to be trained it’s relevant to work side by side with real experts because a forensic scientist must have not only theoretical but also practical specific knowledge.

Being an academician and a researcher in the Forensic domain for about two decades, how do you wish to contribute to this domain?

I wish to give my contribution to the forensic field with my research, conference presentations, articles and books. In fact, apart from my publications in scientific journals, I’m also the coordinator and author of a DNA chapter of the Manual of Forensic Science, published in the USA in 2017 by CRC Press that is the result of an international collaboration between WAWFE professionals, coordinator and author of two chapters (DNA and CSI) of another manual of Criminalistics and Criminology, published in Spain in 2020 by Tébar Flores and in 2021 in Colombia by Ecoe Ediciones, author of another manual about The technical Probe in the Penal Trial, published in Italy in 2016 by Key Editore. Actually, I’m the coordinator of a new book about Crime Scene Investigation now in the publication in the USA by CRC Press. Finally, I’m the author of the other 4 chapters in 3 books about DNA Typing (Springer, Elsevier). All these manuals are addressed to professionals and students, in fact, they’re reference books in some courses.

Finally, WAWFE gives a great contribution to the forensic field by organizing webinars, courses, conferences also in collaboration with other groups. This gives the opportunity to students of meeting experts in different forensic fields and to learn from them, but it’s also an occasion for professionals to share knowledge between them.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Anna Barbaro, Ph.D., Founder & President of Worldwide Association of Women Forensic Experts (WAWFE) appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

What inspired you to join the Forensic domain during those early days? How do you feel about your decision to join the domain now?

When I started in the police academy I always want to be a forensic scientist because my goal in forensic sciences is always to help victims of crimes, also I teach that spirit to my students. Today after almost 20 years, I feel happy to help so many victims and I hope I can continue for several more years changing the world.

What difference do you find in an academic setting & field investigation setting?

In academia you build the knowledge to apply it in the field, of course, the academic setting is a more controlled environment and in the field is the real world and you are responsible to help victims. I think the key to solving crimes is a mix of academia and experience.

During your service tenure, you might have visited various crime scenes. How different & challenging was it to handle crime scenes compared to lab settings?

Working at the scene is really a challenge, probably one of the hardest because over your shoulders is all the responsibility to get all the evidence and the hypothesis of what happened, also is a non-controlled environment so you need to be in a good health and mental shape to deal with that. On the other hand, working in the laboratory, is a controlled environment, receiving the evidence collected at the scene, but the challenge here every one is trusted in you to get the right result to wrap up the case, so also is a huge responsibility. In both cases, you need to do your best.

You might have called in the courtroom trails on various instances from the Prosecution side. What challenges were placed by you while testifying in the courtroom trials in various cases?

Always the difficult part in the courtroom is the cross interrogation because you don’t know what question they can do. To be prepared for those experiences you always think about the possible questions the other party can ask you, so you know the possible answers, the worse you can do is get nervous and not trust in your work.

After working as a police officer, you were heading Forensic Laboratory in different capacities. What differences did you find while working in the Police Department & as the head of Forensic Laboratory?

In Chile, the Forensic Laboratories depend on the National Police, of course, is totally different be in charge of the police station and be a Forensic Laboratory Director, as a director of the State forensic laboratory you have a huge responsibility, you need to have your knowledge update all time, help to develop the knowledge of your people and the resources in your lab. Is an incredible job!

It has been noted that Police Department & Forensic Laboratories have been receiving a huge no. of cases for investigation & examination. What approaches are required to ensure there is no backlog of cases?

Backlog of cases always is an issue in a Forensic Laboratory, the day has only 24 hours and you cannot overcharge your personnel, so to solve that issue you need to be really aware of the real average times of each forensic laboratory analysis so you can arrange with the prosecutor and also with the family of the victim so you always say them the truth.

In spite of being occupied by casework, you managed to indulge in research work. How did you manage it & make it possible? 

I am doing it by sacrificing a lot of family and personal moments and time

As a reviewer of various reputed national & international journals, what advice would you like to give to the young researchers & students who wish to do research & publish their work?

The key is hard work and perseverance. If I am doing it, you can you do it!

You have been working closely with various TV series & shows related to true crime, policing & forensics. How do you deal with speaking with the media about the cases?

I am really enjoying this new professional opportunity, is really fun because people recognize you on the street, but the most important is that you have the opportunity to help others, which is a huge responsibility. I want to say thanks to La Red Television, True Forensic Science, and the Chaminade University of Honolulu for this unique opportunity.

For your exemplary contribution to the Policing & Forensics domain, you might have received various awards & achievements & appreciation from various LEA’s & seniors. What are some of the notable ones?

All the awards are important for me, but the notable ones are “the award of my work in the victim’s identification process at the 6th Biggest Earthquake in the world happened in Chile on February 27th, 2010”; “my nomination as an Emergent Forensic Scientist in 2018 by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences”; “decoration by the National Police in Bolivia”; “The Hogan Entrepreneurs Award” and “The Academic Excellence Award by Legal Desire”, among others.

Working for more than 2 decades in the Policing & Forensics Domain, do you still wish to contribute? How?

I Always want to contribute to new cases, the best way to do it share my knowledge and experience with new generations, so they can learn from my mistakes and my success to improve the Police work and Forensic Sciences in the future.

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The interview was first published in Forensic Reporter, Legal Desire October Issue 2021.

The post In Conversation with Dr. Carlos A. Gutiérrez, Director, True Forensic Science appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.

You were the first person to receive a MD degree in Forensic Medicine from AIIMS in the year 1976. What inspired you to join the Forensic Pathology domain? How do you feel about your decision now?

I feel wonderful! It takes me back to 1973 when I started my MD degree. I have to thank Dr. V. Ramalingaswami, the director of AIIMS at that time, and Dr. Chandra, the Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, who encouraged me to join the Department of Forensic Medicine and they told it is a developing area. And the same year they were starting the Department of Forensic Medicine at AIIMS. Dr. V. Ramalingaswami and Dr. Chandra both are fatherly figure to me so I agreed to join Forensic Medicine. They both groomed and trained me in Forensic Medicine. And, I continued to work in this department and then retired in 2012. They both were my mentor and it was a pleasure working under them. So that’s how I started my journey and still continuing. And now, when I see the achievements Forensic Medicine has made over the years, throughout the country, I feel very happy and obliged to be a part of it.

What difference do you find in an academic classroom setting compared to that of laboratory setting & field setting?

The classroom settings have changed a lot since the days I started learning myself. The teaching concept has changed from Pedagogy to Andragogy and the dependency on Rote memory has also declined. But there is still room for improvements. We have to develop a teaching methodology in such a manner that people can update themselves quickly, in this era of scientific advancements. Similarly, the laboratory setting has also seen improvements, with the developments of different specialized divisions such as the Toxicology laboratory and the DNA division from the broad spectrum of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Biology, to share the case load and to cater to more specific cases. As far as the field setting is concerned the cooperation between the Police, the Medical expert, and the Forensic scientist, as well as the adoption of the process of reconstruction, has only proved favorable. However, when compared all three settings have their own merits. One setting involves improvements in the field of study, while the other two settings involve the application of the already existing knowledge to real-world problems.

More than 2000 crime scenes have been examined by you. How challenging is that compared to working in tha lab doing autopsies?

In the field of forensics, every job is challenging, be it the examination of the crime scene or the autopsy, both have their own set of challenges, and both are dependent on each other that is the autopsy findings and the crime scene should correlate. And a medico-legal expert is the first person entering the scene of crime. The identification, collection and preservation of all Forensic evidence as well as the proper documentation of the same is assured. This in turn, not only helps in the preservation of those medico-legal evidences that only an expert can identify, but also leads the investigation in the right direction. As far as the challenge is concerned, crime scene examination, unlike Autopsy which is carried out in a controlled environment in the lab, is subjected to environmental conditions and in turn, are more prone to contamination and loss, therefore proving a little more challenging than the autopsy.

After the post-mortem examinations at the Lab, you have been called in the court of law on many instances to testify about a particular case either from the Prosecutor side. What challenges were encountered by you while giving your opinion in the court?

One has to understand that testifying in the court of law is a crucial aspect of Forensic Science. As far as challenges are concerned, one can be rest assured that all his scientific analysis and his findings will be subjected to scrutiny by law, and they have no value, if you cannot defend them in the court of law. And I was no exception to this; not only I face heated sessions of cross-examinations by the defense counsel on numerous occasions, but also a case was filed against me in the Supreme Court as well. During all my testimonies in court, I firmly believed in the proverbial phrase ‘patience is a virtue and realized it works best when applied intelligently.

While testifying in the court of law in MedicoLegal cases, the defence lawyers might have challenged your expert opinion on many instances. How did you deal with the cross-examination? How different was it to testify in the Medico-Legal cases than the normal cases? What tips would you like to give young professionals regarding testifying in the trials?

Nowadays there are many doctors who are helping the defense council in framing the right questions for medico-legal cases. So, the defense council is improving their strategies of cross-examination, and a medico-legal expert should be prepared for it because unlike in a normal case, where you are simply stating your observations, in a medico-legal case, while testifying as an expert, you are giving your scientific opinion, based on the interpretation of your findings. Being an expert witness, one should rest assured to be challenged at any level, right from his identity as an expert, to his observations, his interpretations, to his opinion as an expert. So, one has to be patient while dealing with legal proceedings in the court of law, and not get agitated or irritated over trivial things, because an expert witness is also a part of the court along with the lawyers, judges, etc. And most importantly, one should be thoroughly prepared with the reports and relevant literature, before entering the court, because the defense will always come prepared. Also, being an expert witness, you should always base you opinion on scientific findings and never be partial.

Various high-profile cases have been handled by you in consultation with National LEAs during the course of the time. Some of them are: Assassination of 2 PMs of India: Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and attemp to assasination PM Charan Singh, Arushi Talwar murder, Batla House encounter, Nithari killings, Godhra Violence. How different was that experience to deal with them than that of normal cases? How did you deal with media during such cases?

Every Forensic scientist has to answer questions or queries every step of the way; from writing the reports to testifying in the court of law, and media plays a very crucial role in it. Now, one has to understand that media is quite motivated to follow certain ideologies, so, if there is a conflict, it also gets imposed on the case, directly or indirectly. Like every field, media also has individuals who are not very professional in both their investigative process as well as their publications, so, being a Forensic professional one has to be prepared for professional controversies, questioning their integrity as well. I never talked with the media directly unless asked by my superiors. And so, a Forensic scientist should maintain distance from the media and not look for publicity or recognition. One should rather confine himself in his work and let the work speak for himself.

As the Head of the Department, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS Delhi, you developed Toxicology & DNA Fingerprinting laboratory. In addition to this, you also helped in the capacity building of the Department. What challenges were encountered by you during the capacity building process of your department?

The major challenge was the disproportion between the number of laboratories and the number of cases coming our way, and this was dealt by the government’s intervention that resulted in numerous Forensic laboratories throughout the country. But there was still uncertainty regarding the validity of the reports among the legal professionals, and therefore, capacity building proved to be a challenging task. This challenge was met with a positive outcome from the laboratories leading the cases to logical conclusions, and this, in turn, facilitated our cause of scientific improvements at both the investigative front as well as the legal front.

Most of the professionals working in Forensic Pathology domain across the world are overburdened by the casework. But you managed to indulge into research work and publish around 200+ research & review papers in spite of all this. How did you make it possible? How important is it to indulge in the research work and collaboration with other persons in the field?

As a Forensic Professional, one comes across a variety of cases with their own uniqueness, and it is this uniqueness of the problem that provides stimulus for research and assessment, so, it is not about taking out time from work to do research, but finding research gap in your work and enriching that gap with knowledge. And with the scientific and technological developments, there is no deficit of that, for a Forensic professional as well as for a researcher. And as far as time management is concerned, it is not an issue, but just a mental state, and it can be easily achieved if one is enjoying his/her work. One must remember that our contribution to society, no matter how small, is the only validation of our existence among the billions of people in the world, because knowledge and education are nothing but the collection of experiences.

Having performed a large number of autopsies during your career, was there any moment when all these works might have affected your personal life? What are some of the tips to balance the professional and personal life?

The answer to the question is yes. In 45 years of my profession, my personal life suffered a lot and even affected my relationship with my children. But it was inevitable, because I was not only heading a department, but also upgrading my field, and all that comes with many responsibilities, but I don’t regret that, I am happy with the sacrifices I had to make and the way things turned out. So, as a Forensic professional, one should remember that we are serving the cause of Justice, and sacrifices are the prerequisite.

You evolved a technique to identify old suspected bullet hit marks which could detect marks more than 2 years old. This was commonly referred by people as Dogra’s Test. How does this test work & how did you come up with this?

Forensic Science is not only about the scientific analysis of the evidence, but it also involves the identification, collection and preservation of evidence at the crime scene. While examining the scene of the crime, it is very important that a Forensic scientist must utilize his/her commonsense along with scientific knowledge, and the so-called ‘Dogra’s test’ is a result of that. It is a simple technique involving the application of moldable putty to obtain impressions of old bullet hit marks that neither damages the marks nor make them unfit for further examination.

During the last decade of your career, you started using Forensic animation to explain your findings and observations. How challenging and effective is the use of Forensic animation in the court of law?

The reconstruction of crime scenes that started with the advancements in the field of Forensics plays a vital role in the legal proceedings because one can convey the correlation between the scientific findings and the modus operandi of the crime, thereby leading to logical legal conclusions. With the technological advancements, the process of reconstruction upgraded to Forensic animation that provided a Forensic professional a means to visually convey complex ideas. Even though Forensic animation has its own set of challenges such as the absence of accurate and ample data, or absence of experts, engineering calculations, or even being unrealistic, it is still undeniably beneficial in conveying an expert’s opinion in a format that the non-scientific legal professionals can easily and quickly comprehend, and consequently, has good potential for research.

For your exemplary contribution to the Forensics Pathology domain, you might have received various appreciation letters, awards & recognition. What are some of the notable ones?

The Society of Toxicology (India) awarded me a Distinguished Scientist Lifetime Achievement Award in Toxicology and also received a Distinguished Service Award from the Geriatric Society of India. I delivered the Professor G. Mehdi Oration at the 27th annual national conference of the Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri, West Bengal on 17 February 2006. I also delivered the Professor Jagdish Chandra Oration Award at the 12th National Conference of the Indian Congress of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology on 27 September 2013 at the Government Medical College in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. Indian Congress of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology gave the “Lifetime achievement award” on 13 September 2014. I was awarded the “Medico-Legal  Award” in the International Forensic Science & Criminal Investigation Summit & Awards 2021 in association with Legal Desire Media & Insights.

Having worked for more than 4 decades in the Forensic Pathology & Medico-Legal area, do you still wish to contribute to this domain? How?

To be honest, I don’t believe in retirement, and I believe anyone who has dedicated four decades to his/her profession and all the while enjoyed it would agree with me. Although my age and health have become an issue for me, I still wish to contribute as much as possible to the field of Forensics. And to achieve that, I not only provide consultations on cases to Forensic as well as legal professionals but also teach and guide Forensic students, to impart my knowledge and experience to the next generation of Forensic professionals and researchers. With the enormous amount of information readily available through the internet, a well-groomed Forensic expert is the need of the hour, and I wish to contribute everything in my capacity to achieve that goal.

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The interview was first published in Forensic Reporter, Legal Desire August Issue 2021.

The post In Conversation with Dr. T. D. Dogra, Forensic Pathologist, Former Director, AIIMS Delhi appeared first on Legal Desire Media and Insights.