Another officer said that these consultants would help staff at police stations register FIRs efficiently and also timely file chargesheets in important cases. The Delhi Police said they have appointed 82 legal consultants for different districts across the city and in units like special cell, crime branch and economic offences wing to provide legal assistance to investigating officers (IO) and improve the quality of the probe.
On Thursday, officials said that the legal consultants will help provide legal assistance to police personnel, help train new recruits and improve investigation in important criminal cases. This will help the police in better conviction rate and understand the law better.
Initially, only 54 legal assistants were hired by the force to help in legal matters in trial courts, Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. With the Delhi Police facing criticism in the courts for important riots cases and other criminal cases, they have appointed 28 more consultants. A meeting was held between the legal consultants and Sanjay Singh, special commissioner (licensing and legal division).
Singh said: “We thought of bringing in more legal consultants as we have to file various status reports in courts and receive several legal notices…they (legal consultants) will also assist in resolving queries regarding FSL reports.”
Another officer said that these consultants would help staff at police stations register FIRs efficiently and also timely file chargesheets in important cases.
The Delhi Police has been pulled up several times in the past by local courts over matters on the 2020 Delhi riots. In one of the cases, an investigating officer was rebuked after he came to court without reading the case file.
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