The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered that a meeting of the State Police Chief; Director, State Forensic Science Laboratory; and the Home Secretary be convened to solve the issue of delay in the investigation and trial of narcotic drug seizure cases.
The court issued the directive when a bail petition filed by an accused in a narcotic case came up for hearing.
In a statement, the Excise Commissioner said that though complaints in many cases were filed within the statutory period, the trial was delayed owing to the non-receipt of the chemical analysis report on time. Due to the increase in the detection of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances cases, the quantum of work in chemical examiners’ labs had been increased.
At present only three chemical analysis laboratories functioned. As a result, there was undue delay in getting the report on time. In fact, the detection officers rely on statements of the accused to identify the substances as narcotics in almost all the cases except in such cases where the detecting officers ascertain the substances by using detection kits and with their experience. The detection kits were rarely available. But the identification of the new-generation narcotic was not possible using these methods.
The commissioner said the chemical analysis laboratories as well as forensic science labs should be set up in each district with modern facilities to identify the new generation drugs. Launching of mobile laboratories could also be considered.
The Kerala State Forensic Science Laboratory Director said that besides an FSL that functions in Thiruvanthapuram, two regional FSLs were located in Thrissur and Kannur. A third regional FSL was expected to start functioning in two months.