India: Police Collect DNA of Over 1 Lakh Suspects Under New Identification Law

Police in several Indian states have begun collecting DNA records, primarily from blood samples, of suspects arrested in heinous crimes. Along with DNA profiles, authorities are also recording photographs, fingerprints, and iris scans to create unique identification records for arrested persons and convicts, which can be retained for up to 75 years.

Over the past five months, DNA records of more than one lakh suspects have been stored in a central database operated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This collection is being carried out under the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act (CrPI), a law passed by Parliament in 2022.

While provisions for recording fingerprints, retina scans, and iris scans were rolled out in March 2025, the recording of DNA profiles took longer due to a lack of adequate forensic expertise and storage capacity among state police forces, according to an NCRB official. More than 2,600 measurement collection units have been established across the country, and the CrPI system is now available in police districts and prisons. It is also accessible to central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, the National Investigation Agency, and the Narcotics Control Bureau.

The contours of the CrPI system were showcased on June 19 at an NCRB event presided over by Home Minister Amit Shah. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure in 2024, makes forensic examination of crime scenes mandatory for all offences punishable with seven years or more of imprisonment.

“The samples are at present being collected by police in cases punishable by seven years. The DNA, mostly drawn from blood and in some cases saliva too, is then sent to a forensic laboratory, which generates a unique number. The NCRB preserves the code in its records. The sanctity of the samples depends on the police,” an NCRB official said.

A presentation on the CrPI system stated that accurate identification of criminals is a fundamental requirement for effective investigation and that the CrPI Act, 2022, was passed by Parliament “so that identification-based evidence could get legal recognition.” It added that the law allows police and prison officers to take physical and biological samples of arrested and convicted individuals, and the NCRB launched the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) in 2022 to automate fingerprint matching. With more than 1.27 crore fingerprint records, NAFIS has helped solve many interstate criminal cases.

Under CrPI, all identification-related information—including face, iris, and biological samples—is now available in a national-level searchable database, enabling accurate and scientific identification within moments. A photo from a crime scene can be instantly matched with records across the country, a process that was previously long and manual. The system ensures secure storage of all measurements for 75 years, and biological samples from crime scenes can be directly matched with existing records.