Forensic labs get 360 new posts

To clear the around 70,000 cases pending with forensic laboratories in the state,the home department announced Monday creation of 360 new posts

To clear the around 70,000 cases pending with forensic laboratories in the state,the home department announced Monday creation of 360 new posts. The six forensic labs in Mumbai,Pune,Nasik,Amravati,Aurangabad and Nagpur have been struggling with inadequate staff.

Minister of State for Home Satej Patil told the legislative council: The government has sanctioned 360 new posts for the forensics department.

Many cases are pending at the directorate of forensic science laboratories (FSL) in Kalina.

The government okayed recruitment in April to fill 300 posts of class 2 and class 3 technical staff such as assistant chemical analysers and scientific assistants.

In 2012,190 posts were filled.

FSL receives average 1.12 lakh cases each year and files reports in around 92,000.

Its toxicology department receives most cases and physics department the least.

Till January this year,3,840 cases of sexual assault on women were pending with forensic labs in the state.

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Mumbai Police officers have been complaining about delay by FSL in releasing crucial reports.

They had to wait for over four months for a report of a voice spectrogram test conducted on 26/11 accused Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal.

Similarly,the state anti-terrorism squad probing the 13/7 Mumbai serial blasts was made to wait for months before DNA tests were conducted on crucial evidence toothbrushes,towels,hair,computer discs and clothes collected from Habib Apartment in Byculla West,where two of the bombers allegedly stayed before and after the attack.

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