Haryana police identifies body in Croatia using Interpol standardized digital format

Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], February 18 (ANI): In a first-of-its-kind case, Haryana Police by establishing enhanced coordination with CBI and Interpol officials at all levels have played a significant role in the identification of a dead body abroad by matching the DNA of a blood relative with that of the body, a police statement informed on Saturday.
A Haryana Police spokesperson informed that in this international-level case related to district Kurukshetra, the police did not resort to lengthy procedures like MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) or LR (Letter Rogatory) in DNA investigation.
"This is the first time that such a case of DNA matching has been done through 24x7 Interpol channels using Interpol standardized digital format. Initially, the Haryana Police had sent a physical sample of DNA which could not be sent through Interpol channels. However later, the digital format DNA profile was collected by Haryana Police in Interpol standardized format and Haryana Police received the digital profile of DNA from CFSL Chandigarh and transmitted to Croatia through Interpol's 24x7 channels on the same day," the spokesperson informed further.
A complaint in this regard was received from Paramjeet Kaur, a resident of district Kurukshetra in which the complainant stated that her son Parminder wanted to go to Italy.
"After completing the required formalities in this regard, she came to know that his son has reached Serbia and after that he will be sent to Italy by air. She also learned from sources that an unidentified body had been found in Croatia, which she suspected to be that of her son Parminder Singh. The complainant expressed apprehension that the accused Gaurav Gupta and others may have killed his son out of greed for money. Based on the above complaint, a formal case under Sections 406, 420 IPC and 10 & 24 was registered at Police Station City Pehowa vide FIR No. 111 dated April 13, 2022," the spokesperson added.
Subsequently, a case was filed in the High Court by relatives of the suspected deceased Parminder for identification of his body in Croatia.
In compliance of a High Court order dated November 21, 2022, a DNA sample of Paramjit Kaur (mother of Parminder Singh) was collected by Kurukshetra Police through CHC, Pehowa, Kurukshetra and sent to CFSL, Sector-36 Chandigarh for DNA Profiling. "Thereafter, after completing all the formalities, along with the submission of the DNA profile of Paramjit Kaur, communication was made with the concerned department of Union Home Ministry," the spokesperson added.
CBI-IPCU (Central Bureau of Investigation-International Police Cooperation Unit) had filed a status report in the High Court detailing the communication made with NCB-Zagreb (Croatia) and the steps being taken to identify the subject.
The spokesperson added that CBI had shared the digital DNA format of INTERPOL with Haryana police and obtained a digital DNA format of the blood relative i.e. Patamjeet Kaur. The same was emailed to NCB Zagreb(Croatia).
"DNA sequence was mailed by NCB-New Delhi to NCB Zagreb (Croatia). The same was matched by Croatian authorities and positive identification was given on February 13, 2023. The same was informed to the Haryana police and also to the family members of the deceased. NCB-Zagreb (Croatia) informed of positive identification of the suspected unidentified dead body to be of Parminder Singh based on digital DNA profiling," the spokesperson added.
"The relatives of the deceased have been informed about these developments. Though the dead body has already been buried by the Croatian government authorities, the family members will now proceed to claim the last mortal remains from Croatia with the assistance of the Government of India," the spokesperson further informed. (ANI)