Court raps cops, FSL for delay in reports in sexual offences

Officials of Delhi Police and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have been pulled up by a fast track court for "routinely" not filing forensic reports in sexual assault cases on time, leading to delay in trial.
The court also rapped them for adopting a "very casual approach" in this regard, which was a lapse on their part.
Additional Sessions Judge Nivedita Anil Sharma, presiding over the special fast track court set up to deal exclusively with cases of sexual offences against women, directed the police to deposit the forensic samples with FSL immediately after taking them.
The court also asked the FSL director to ensure that in future, when the orders for submission of forensic reports are received, they must be submitted on the due date.

It is the duty and responsibility of doctors who were taking, preserving and sealing the samples, to do this job properly so that samples are not degraded or putrefied and can be examined by the FSL.
The court's directions came during the hearing of a rape case in which BJP MLA from Gurgaon, Umesh Aggarwal and two others are facing trial.

The court was unhappy with FSL officials who were earlier directed to submit forensic report but they said it was not ready and sought nearly two months time.
"It may be mentioned here that it is a matter of routine that the FSL reports are not being submitted on the date they are ordered to be submitted and in routine a letter received from the FSL that forensic report shall be ready by a particular date which may be one, two or three months later.

"It may also be mentioned here that it is a matter of routine that investigating officer (IO) and police, after submitting the exhibits of the case in the office of the FSL for examination, do not pursue the same and do not take any priority letter from court of area magistrate, despite cases of rape being very heinous and being tried by special fast track court for expeditious disposal," the court said.
The court said there was lapse on the part of police as a "very casual approach" was taken regarding exhibits and submission of FSL report.