Cyber, economic offences: Delhi Police to hire forensic experts

The Delhi Police is planning to hire forensic experts for assistance in detection of cyber and financial frauds, as well as in collecting evidence from the crime scene, officials said.

These experts will be hired in the categories of forensic general, forensic digital, forensic accounting, forensic psychological, forensic chemical, biology and physics, they said.

A board has already been constituted with the National Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar that will hire professional experts on a one-year contract on the behalf of the Delhi Police, an official said.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is likely to be signed this month, following which the hiring process would begin, the police official said.

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava recently told PTI that to improve its investigating ability, cyber crime experts were being hired and they would be working with the police force.

Economic offences are also increasing and forensic accounting experts are also being hired to enhance its investigation capabilities, the commissioner said.

Shrivastava highlighted that the economic offences wing (EOW) of the police dealt with complex cases like cheating and bank frauds, adding that it required examination of voluminous documents.

Normally, the police personnel “are not as much trained for examining the financial documents”, he said. “Therefore, you require somebody who is trained to do that to improve the quality of investigation and make cases foolproof.”

Joint Commissioner of Police (EOW) O P Mishra said the matrix of investigation in economic offences was heavily document-based. A detailed analysis and forensic audit of bank statements and other relevant documents is a normal part of investigation.

“Normally, we have to hire auditors for analysis of relevant documents. We have chartered accountants in our panel who also do the analysis. So, if we get forensic auditors for forensic accounting, that will also help us in enhancing the professional skill and speed of investigation,” he said.

According to a source, there are vacancies currently for 119 people. Those with background in forensic science and allied sciences with relevant experience in the field will be eligible for the post.

He elaborated on the role of forensic experts for investigation purposes, saying they would be able to examine cyber fraud, cases of money laundering, disappropriate assets and tax evasion.

The forensic psychological experts will interact with suspects and those related to them, prepare questionnaires and interview them using methods of brain mapping, brain polygraph, suspect detection system and other techniques to gather information for police investigations, the source said.

While those experts from forensic chemical, biology and physics teams will help in collection and examination of any chemical substances, blood stains and samples — hair, fingerprints or any evidences in physical form, be it a weapon of offence or clothes — from the scene of crime, officials said.

(Cover: Credit – TRRIMS.COM)