AIIMS Bhopal Develops A Tamper-Proof & QR Code-Enabled Labeling System To Secure Forensic Evidence

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal has developed a tamper-proof, QR code-enabled labeling system that ensures the secure storage, safe transportation and judicial recognition of forensic samples collected during medico-legal investigations.

This innovation is part of a two-year research project funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The system features a specially designed, waterproof, single-use, tamper-proof label that includes an institutional seal and an encrypted QR code. This label can directly be affixed to evidence containers, providing physical security, digital traceability and tamper detection.

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It addresses practical challenges faced by police while transporting forensic samples from preservation sites to police stations or forensic science laboratories (FSL), such as the loss of information due to smudged or damaged labels, sample mix-ups, damage from moisture or rodents during long-term storage and the breakage of the chain of custody, all of which can lead to the rejection of evidence and adversely impact the judicial process.

The new label is resistant to water, salt solutions, alcohol and formalin, the common preservatives used in forensic science, and maintains its durability and adhesion even in adverse environmental conditions or in case of container leakage. The QR code ensures case-specific identification and secure data access.