New Delhi: Over the last five months, more than one lakh DNA records of suspects have been stored in a central database operated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).The collection of samples under the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act (CrPI), 2022, is currently also being done by the police in several states, with the main focus being blood samples of suspects arrested in heinous crimes, reported The Hindu.The government is presently creating a database where unique identification records of arrested persons and convicts such as DNA profiles, photographs, fingerprints and iris scans can be retained for up to 75 years.As per an NCRB official cited in the Hindu report, the provision for recording, storing and analysing measurements such as fingerprints, retina scans and iris scans of arrested persons was started from March 2025.The process of recording of DNA profiles took longer as respective state police forces lacked adequate forensic expertise and storage capacity, the official told the newspaper.At present, more than 2,600 measurement collection units have been established across the country, with the CrPI system being available in police districts and prisons.Central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) can also access the database.The features of the CrPI system were showcased on June 19 at an NCRB event presided over by Union 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 told the Hindu.Back in 2022, the Criminal Procedure Identification Bill was tabled in the parliament with an assurance from Union home minister Shah that the objective behind passing this Bill is to build capacity for the police and forensic teams. It was said that the measure was intended to preclude the use of third-degree methods (custodial torture), making available the benefits of science and technology to prosecuting agencies and increasing the number of convictions.Despite Shah’s assurances, there was widespread protest by the opposition members over concerns of data privacy, potential for abuse and infringement on fundamental rights.