Once the new Forensic Science Services (Regulatory Board) Bill 2011 is passed, the Government expects that private forensic laboratories will take the heat off overburdened national and state forensic facilities. The Government expects that this Bill will help ease the situation by regulating existing and new private labs to meet state-level standards and help in the setting up of new forensic institutions.
The Government has failed to realise that when the Private Labs come to exist in Indian Criminal Justice System their is bound to be confusion. I am not saying this without basis. Take the case of the Bhushan's (of Lokpal fame) case of the tapes. The Govt lab has reported them to be genuine and the private lab (Truth Labs, Hyderabad) reported them to be doctored. Till date the matter remains unresolved. Such would be the confusion in future for all cases. Their is no fool proof method to believe reports from private labs. Therefore the Government should stop this Bill from being enacted and instead increase manpower and infrastructure in Government Labs to dispose off cases urgently. None are above board. India cannot afford more confusion.
