Terming as "unacceptable" delay in payment of compensation to victims of crime, including rape, the Delhi High Court today directed the city government to disburse within two weeks the funds recommended by the state legal services authority.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul was also not pleased with the "inadequate" number of Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSL) in Delhi and directed the city government to set up such facilities in rented buildings as a "stop gap measure" till land is allocated.
"We have been informed of the delay in disbursement of compensation accorded/recommended by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DLSA). We have been informed that on an average 6-8 months is taken. This is unacceptable, as victims are in need of being compensated," the bench said.
"We direct that there should be no delay in disbursal of compensation recommended by DLSA. Government of NCT Delhi can take utmost two weeks for disbursal of the compensation," it said and shot down Delhi government's plea for more time saying "you only have to write the cheques".
On the issue of setting CFSL facilities in Delhi, the court observed that there is only one such lab in the national capital at Rohini and said "this is clearly inadequate and hampers the criminal investigation process and the justice dispensation system".
"The whole process of setting up labs has been delayed over non-allotment of land. There is no impediment in setting up labs in buildings hired by government, as a stop gap measure.
"Consequently, we direct Government of NCT Delhi to search for buildings where CFSL can be established in four other areas of Delhi so that work in criminal investigations is not hampered and there is no impediment in justice dispensation system," the bench said.
The court sought a status report within three weeks from the government on the availability of buildings for setting up CFSL facilities and listed the matter for further hearing on April 16.
