Forensic DNA Profiling and Criminal Justice in India: Assessing Infrastructure, Legal Implementation and Case-Outcomes

Abstract

Forensic DNA profiling has become a vital component of India’s criminal justice system, influencing investigations ranging from sexual offences and homicide to disaster victim identification and paternity disputes. However, its expanding use raises critical concerns about infrastructural adequacy, legal protections, and its real impact on case outcomes. This paper evaluates India’s forensic DNA capacity, the evolving legal framework governing DNA collection and use, and judicial approaches to DNA evidence. Drawing on forensic science research, doctrinal analysis, policy documents, and case examples, the study argues that India’s rapid expansion of DNA infrastructure has not been matched by parallel development of rights-protective legal norms or institutional safeguards. While initiatives such as the National Forensic Sciences University, the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme, and increased support for State Forensic Science Laboratories have expanded capacity, persistent challenges backlogs, uneven quality assurance, and limited technical manpower remain. Legally, constitutional protections, new criminal codes, and the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act 2022 coexist with the absence of a dedicated DNA statute. Recent Supreme Court rulings emphasize chain of custody, quality control, and statistical rigor. The paper concludes that DNA profiling can enhance both truth-finding and fair-trial rights only within a robust governance framework that ensures accreditation, safeguards, and defence access to expertise.