Navi Mumbai Launches State’s First Evidence Management Centre Under ‘Mission Conviction’

Navi Mumbai, 11th March 2024: Navi Mumbai witnessed the inauguration of the state’s inaugural Evidence Management Centre (EMC) on Sunday, a key component of ‘Mission Conviction’ led by Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe since December 2022. As part of a series of initiatives supporting the mission, the EMC is the sixth and final system ensuring organized evidence storage and protection.

Bharambe outlined the sequence of systems within ‘Mission Conviction,’ including the i-bike for evidence collection, the Nelson System of investigation, the Yatharth app for panchnama recording, the Evidence Dispatch Van (EDV), the e-Pairavi app for court summons tracking, and finally, the EMC for evidence storage—an unprecedented state initiative.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who inaugurated the EMC, highlighted the significance of preventing minor issues in evidence collection that often lead to acquittals. He emphasized that the EMC ensures tamper-proof and scientifically collected evidence, bolstering the integrity of the legal process.

Rashmi Shukla, the state’s Director-General of Police (DGP), lauded the EMC as a commendable initiative, emphasizing the crucial role of evidence in securing convictions. She expressed consideration for implementing a similar model across the state.

Navi Mumbai will host three EMCs strategically located under different police zones, each serving specific purposes, including evidence storage, vehicle storage, and maintenance. Bharambe emphasized the improvement over the previous practice of storing evidence in police station record rooms, citing the implementation of QR codes for each piece of evidence to maintain its chain of custody.

The EMC for vehicles, occupying a 50,000-sq-ft open area in Taloja, aims to free up space in police station outer areas filled with vehicles involved in various cases. The ‘Praman’ application will facilitate police access to the EMC, allowing them to check the status of evidence efficiently.