NHRC guidelines on State Forensic Laboratory appointments ignored
Human rights activists said the police can now manipulate evidence
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-05-10 05:36 GMT
Hyderabad: The Telangana police and home ministry is ignoring National Human Rights Commission guidelines on the functioning of the State Forensic Laboratory by appointing an IPS officer as its director.
For the first time in the 28-year history of the State FSL, a police officer, CID chief Charu Sinha, took charge as director. Legal experts and human rights activists said the police can now manipulate evidence. While the Central FSL and FSLs of most states are functioning directly under the home ministry as a separate body in TS the police controls the FSL now. The former directors of FSL were doctors and scientists.
According to GO M.S No. 157 issued in June 2002, the state government had specifically asked the police chief to start the process of detaching FSL from its control and put it directly under the home ministry.
However, Sudeep Lakhtakia, additional DGP (law and order), who issued the appointment order said there were no eligible candidates from FSL and that this was a temporary appointment. “We are aware of NHRC guidelines but there is no rule that a police officer can’t be appointed as director. This is a temporary appointment since there are no eligible candidates from FSL. We will appoint a permanent director later,” said Mr Lakhtakia.
Experts say the sanctity of the criminal justice system can be maintained only by maintaining FSL as an independent body and by not allowing the police department to control its operations.
Human rights activists said the decision of the police to appoint its officer as director especially after encounter killings looks suspicious. “An investigation is going on into the Alair killings and suddenly a police officer takes charge at FSL. We should suspect vested interests in the police department,” said an activist from the city.
The FSL has to deposit the evidence in courts in most cases. The judiciary considers FSL results and evidence with great importance. If police officials start interfering in the matter the evidence can be manipulated easily to turn cases in favour of the investigation official. “The cops will surely take advantage of the situation when their officer heads FSL. And we will be helpless,” said a senior official from the State FSL.