Strengthen forensic facilities, orders HC
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana to take immediate steps to strengthen forensic facilities to speed up probe into drug cases and avoid delays caused due to inadequate resources.
The Division Bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma directed the two states to expedite the completion of recruitment, equipment procurement and installation at their forensic science laboratories and regional forensic science laboratories (RFSLs).
The direction came as the Bench observed that essential forensic infrastructure and advanced technology was not being fully utilised despite repeated assurances, stalling critical examination of evidence in NDPS cases.
The court said the forensic laboratories across Punjab, including the primary FSL in Mohali and regional facilities in Bathinda, Amritsar, and Ludhiana, were required to immediately install advance testing equipment.
Referring to the delay in fulfilment of its pledges by Punjab, the Bench observed the state had indicated the grant of financial sanctions for purchasing equipment. But the assurance was yet to materialise into functioning facilities.
The court observed that an affidavit submitted by Punjab reflected the approval of technical specifications for cyber forensic tools under the Nirbhaya Fund. Yet, the completion of financial procedures for the acquisition remained pending.
The court directed the Chief Secretaries of both states to certify that recruitment efforts were finalised and personnel deployed across all relevant FSL/RFSL centres. The Bench also mandated the establishment of regional FSLs at the district level.
The court asked the Union Territory of Chandigarh, in addition to the two states, to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for swift submission, testing and return of incriminating evidence to the courts.
