City’s only forensic lab struggles with workload,courts kept waiting

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Kumar also directed the Delhi government to ensure 12 Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in the city,by setting up one lab in each of the 11 police districts.

At present,there is only one forensic lab in Delhi at Rohini,which caters to all 11 police districts comprising 165 police stations. According to reports,there are around 4,000 viscera samples awaiting examination.

The court came to know of the handicap while adjudicating a 2006 murder case,for which no forensic report was prepared for four years. After the report was finally prepared in June last year,police caused further delay by not collecting and submitting it in the court immediately.

“The situation is alarming. Hence,I direct the Commissioner of Police to depute exclusively at least two police officials,in the rank of sub-inspector and head constable,who shall exclusively be in-charge of maintaining records and submission of FSL reports in the court,” said ASJ Kumar.

The court also noted that Delhi Home Secretary,who was asked on May 24 to begin establishing additional FSLs and consider expansion of the existing laboratory to cope with the increased work load,failed to submit any opinion in the court. ASJ Kumar took up the matter on July 5.

Expressing displeasure,ASJ Kumar directed station house officer of Uttam Nagar to personally serve a copy of his previous order to the Home Secretary for adequate compliance.

Called upon to explain the delay,Director of Rohini FSL said there were more than 4,000 viscera pending examination and that the fundamental handicap was the shortage of experts.