Calcutta, April 6 :     If the future of criminal investigation lies in the advancement of forensic sciences, it's high time the Left Front government snapped out of a time warp. According to Dr R.K. Tewari, chief forensic scientist and director (forensic sciences) of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), ministry of home affairs, the condition of the state's forensic laboratory 'is just not up to the mark'. In the city for the conclusion of the workshop on DNA profiling at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Tewari told The Telegraph: 'The laboratory is low on manpower, equipment and facilities. What is needed is a change of attitude in government.' 'The state forensic laboratories in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are of a high standard. The West Bengal laboratory definitely leaves a lot to be desired,' he added. This is, indeed, ironic, as the first forensic application of fingerprinting has been traced back to Calcutta, and the city boasts of the oldest Central and state forensic laboratories in the country. Judicial activism and the human rights movement have forced the police to turn to forensic science for 'clinching evidence'. And unless the political establishment identifies forensic science 'as a priority area, criminals will continue to escape punishment,' feels Tewari. The five per cent conviction rate in rape cases tells part of the story. And this must be viewed in the context of less than 1 per cent of the police budget being spent on forensic sciences in several states, including West Bengal. 'There is a growing awareness among the judiciary and the police about the fact that forensic evidence is consistent and clinching. But government apathy continues,' complained Tewari. The Calcutta-born forensic chief, who is playing 'friend, philosopher and guide' to various state governments to raise the standard of forensic sciences throughout the country, is ready to reach out to the West Bengal government as well. On the controversial Kashmir kidnap case, in which CFSL findings matching the bones with that of Briton Paul Wells have been challenged by recent tests run in the UK, Tewari said: 'We have used the most modern technology of DNA matching. We are yet to receive any official word from the UK government, but we would encourage a joint probe into the matter.'