The Allahabad High Court has directed further arrangements to enable courts to directly access medical and forensic records related to criminal cases, while taking note of significant progress already made in integrating various criminal justice databases.

A Bench of Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal took note of the progress made in linking various digital platforms used during criminal investigation, including MedLEaPR, which contains medical and medico-legal records; CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems), the police's digital crime and investigation platform; ICJS (Inter-operable Criminal Justice System), which facilitates sharing of information across different components of the criminal justice system; and the e-Forensic Laboratory system, which contains forensic laboratory data.

This digital integration is intended to ensure that information generated during the investigation, including post-mortem reports, other medical reports and forensic data, can be electronically accessed by the relevant court rather than remaining in separate systems.

In its order passed on August 19, the Court directed the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to make arrangements so that the concerned Court or Magistrate can directly access data available on MedLEaPR and the e-Forensic Laboratory.

The order states:

"NIC is directed to make arrangements so that the concerned Court/Magistrate can directly access the data available on MedLEaPR and E-Forensic Laboratory".

The Court further directed the Principal Secretary, Health, Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Director General of Police, to cooperate with NIC for effective implementation of ICJS, so that data available on MedLEaPR and the forensic laboratory can be directly accessed by the concerned court.

MedLEaPR is the platform through which medical and medico-legal information, including post-mortem and other medical reports, is uploaded.

The Court recorded that MedLEaPR is now integrated with CCTNS, which enables the police authorities to directly see post-mortem and other medical reports uploaded by hospitals.

CCTNS is the police's digital platform for crime and investigation-related information. Its integration with MedLEaPR makes relevant medical information available within the police investigation system.

ICJS facilitates the sharing of information between different components of the criminal justice system.

The Court noted that NIC has already implemented ICJS integration to the extent of sharing MedLEaPR and forensic department data with the concerned court. It was further informed that if directed by the Court, the same facility would also be implemented in Uttar Pradesh.

The Court was also informed that the entire case diary, along with the final police report, is now available to the concerned Magistrate on CIS.

An API was shared with CIS, following which the case diary and final police report can be accessed by the concerned Magistrate.

The Court further recorded that a feature for verification of the chargesheet by the Circle Officer (C.O.) is to be added by the next date.

The Court also considered other aspects of the digitization of the criminal justice process.

It directed that the possibility of generating summons and warrants in Hindi on CIS for Uttar Pradesh be explored.

Further, NIC was asked to implement the High Court's direction as well as the Supreme Court's recent direction concerning electronic verification of sureties.

The bench issued this direction while dealing with a bail plea of a Dowry Death accused. Though the Court granted bail to the accused, it decided to continue with the case so as to monitor progress in the digital integration of criminal case data.

Case - Aatish Alias Krishnkant v. State of U.P.

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