PANAJI: In a big boost to crime investigation, the Goa police will soon have top of the line forensic equipment, including to conduct lie-detection tests, at its Verna forensic science lab.
The police department has floated a tender to procure at least a dozen high-tech gadgets and equipment including a computerised polygraph system (lie-detector) which will be stationed at the Verna Forensic lab.
Top police officers were hitherto handicapped in their investigations as samples that needed forensic tests had to be sent to laboratories either in Kalina, Mumbai or Hyderabad. Results take weeks if not months to come, hampering investigative work.
Also, the lie-detector tests if authorized by the courts could also immensely help investigators to pursue a single line of investigation.
But sources from the police said that it will take at least six months to procure and commission the equipment.
Among other equipment listed in the tender for procurement include Layered Voice Analysis (LVA) System for detection of emotions, Forensic Image Authentication Software Tool With Data Work Station, Mobile Forensic Tools X-Ray Software, three Raman Spectrometers for drug detection and 18 Narcotic Detection Kits.
This procurement process is expected to instill momentum to the project to set up the full-fledged Forensic Lab at Verna which was progressing at snail's pace for several years now. Once the lie-detector test equipment is installed and commissioned, Goa will join a select league of states which have this facility apart from the national capital Delhi.
