Rape cases crawl as 2 forensic labs struggle with 2,500 DNA samples

The ASJ then summoned the police officer in charge of the case to appear in person and “explain why appropriate proceedings should not be initiated against them”.

The number of FTCs, created in 2013 after the December 16 gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old woman, has gone up to nine but the rate of disposal of cases has been hit due to delays in filing of crucial forensic reports.

According to Delhi police data, at least 2,500 DNA sample are pending in forensic laboratories in cases involving rape and murder of women and minors. With 11 police districts, there are only two forensic laboratories in the capital to deal with evidence sent for examination.

“No cross examination of the victim can take place if the crucial forensic report is not placed before the court,” said public prosecutor A T Ansari, who represented the state in the December 16 gangrape case.

“Also, filing of supplementary chargesheets are delayed due to non-filing of forensic reports. The other impediment is that case property sent to laboratories for forensic examination needs to be produced in the court during the recording of evidence. This is also delayed by probe agencies and courts have to defer the trial,” Ansari said.

Concerns over the alarming rate of delay in forensic reports has also been echoed in Parliament. In its report, the parliamentary standing committee on Home Affairs has “expressed its anguish” on the sorry state of affairs.

“The committee strongly recommends that early action should be taken to enhance the capacity and strength of forensic labs in Delhi to ensure proper and speedy investigation and trial,” the standing committee said.

It further recommended that the Delhi police “must work upon implementing the strategy on upgrading police capacities in forensic science and augmentation”.

On September 8, ASJ Sharma also slammed the forensic agency for similar delays in two other rape cases.

In the first, registered by Vasant Kunj police station, the victim could not be cross-examined due to a nine-month delay in filing the forensic report. In the other, registered by Inderpuri police station, the investigating officer (IO) could not be examined because the forensic report was not filed.

The court then warned the directors of the Central Forensic Science Laboratories in Rohini and Lodhi Colony that it would impose a fine by deducting Rs 10,000 from their salaries, if they failed to “ensure speedy preparation of CFSL results in all the cases pending in this court related to sexual assault on women within two months from the date of receipt of the sample/exhibits”.

“This court is created for fast-tracking the trial of cases pertaining to sexual assault cases on women. However, trial of cases are being delayed due to non-filing of CFSL result,” ASJ Sharma said.