Actively monitor pendency of forensic samples: HC to govt

The Delhi High Court today asked the city government to actively monitor the pendency of forensic samples taken in criminal cases and give a monthly report on it.
A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Yogesh Khanna also asked the government to prepare a chart indicating the type of crime, its seriousness, year and age of forensic samples and how new cases of serious offences have to be dealt with.
The bench said it should be kept in mind that no forensic sample should deteriorate and they should be tested in the forensic science laboratory (FSL) within their shelf-life of eight months to a year.

"Court is of the opinion that pendency of samples should be actively monitored," it said.
It further said that all the FSLs under the supervision of Delhi government should give their monthly reports, including on the pendency of forensic samples, to the secretary of Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) who shall compile the data and place it before the court.
During the hearing, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal told the court that there are around 1500 samples in the two FSLs in Delhi which were more than one year old and have deteriorated.

Senior standing counsel for Delhi government Rahul Mehra said that since last year, they have appointed 128 additional scientific persons and nine have joined this month which has helped them to reduce the pendency of forensic samples by one- third of the total number.

He said till last year, 9729 forensic samples were pending and as per the latest report on April this year, the pendency has come down to 6119.
Mehra said the government wanted to start digitisation process of data of laboratories and 'malkhanas' and tendering was also done twice but it failed and there are not enough companies for it.
To this, the bench said the high court has already done digitisation of its records and the government could consult the Registrar General for tips on how to go about it.
The court was informed that a proposal has been moved by Delhi Police through Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to employ 14,753 more cops in the national capital.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, appearing for MHA, told the court that presently 4227 vacancies have been sanctioned in Delhi Police and it would be implemented in two phases.
The court, which listed the matter for further hearing on August 11, was hearing a PIL initiated by it after the December 16, 2012 gangrape case in which it has been giving directions from time to time with regard to improving crime investigation and protection of women in Delhi.
The high court had earlier also stressed upon the need for installing more CCTV cameras in the city and lighting up dark spots expeditiously.