'Look Into Culpability Of Officials For Delays, Errors In Forensic Reports': High Court Tells Panel Formed To Probe Functioning Of FSL In Haryana

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has directed the committee formed to look into the functioning of the Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in Haryana to probe the culpability of officials for causing staggering delay and errors in the report in a case under NDPS Act, wherein the accused was a professional psychiatrist and accused of illegally operating a drug addiction Centre.

Observing that there repeated "alarming delays in the preparation and despatch of FSL Reports", the Court had constituted a three-member committee to look into the functioning of the Forensic Science Laboratories across the States of Haryana and Punjab.

Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul said, "The Committee for the State of Haryana will also look into the deficiencies and culpability of the officials, if any, concerning case...under Sections 420, 465, 468 of the IPC and Sections 22 and 32 of the NDPS Act registered at Police Station Pinjore, District Panchkula."

 These additional directions to the Committee for the State of Haryana have been prompted on account of a staggering delay of six months in both the preparation and despatch of the FSL report, as well as on account of the following inadvertent errors as averred in the affidavit submitted by the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Madhuban, Haryana, the Court added.

The Court also noted that in pursuance of previous directions, the  Advocates General of Punjab and Haryana have submitted in sealed cover, names of three IAS and IPS Officers of their respective States who would be part of a 3 member Committee for both the States, to look into the functioning of the Forensic Science Laboratories.

Consequently, the Court directed the following Committees for the States of Punjab and Haryana.

Committee for the State of Punjab

(i) Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari, IAS,Additional Chief Secretary, Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities.

(ii) V. Neeraja, IPS.

(iii) Nilkanth S Avhad, IAS, Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation.

Committee for the State of Haryana

(i) Vineet Garg, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana.

(ii) Vijayendra Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Government of Haryana.

(iii)  Amitabh Singh Dhillon, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Haryana.

Justice Kaul said that the mandate of the Committees would encompass identifying the underlying administrative and technical causes contributing to delays in the preparation and submission of reports of the FSL. Additionally, the Committees will also propose remedial measures to expedite and streamline the entire process, to ensure timely preparation and submission of reports by the FSL.

Adding that an interim report be submitted by the Committees to this Court on or before April 22, the Court said that, "The said exercise be completed within 8 weeks from today (March 15)."

The matter is now adjourned to April 22, for further consideration.

Chetan Sharma, DAG, Haryana.

Amit Rana, Sr. DAG, Punjab. 

 STATE OF HARYANA V/S VINIT YADAV

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