Report No. 239

2.3 Quality of investigation and documentation:

(i)Police are quite often handicapped in undertaking effective investigation for want of modern gadgets such as cameras, video equipment etc. Forensic science laboratories are scarce and even at the district level, there is no lab which can render timely assistance to the investigating Police. Further, it is common knowledge that there is dearth of forensic and cyber experts in police departments of various States. The result is that Police heavily lean towards oral evidence, instead of concentrating on scientific and circumstantial evidence.

(ii) Sufficient care and effort is not devoted for examining and recording the statements of witnesses. Further, promptness in this regard is found to be wanting.

(iii) The statements/FIRs/reports recorded are not fed to the computer immediately either because there is no computer network or there is no personnel trained in the job or for want of specific instructions.

(iv) Sufficient care and time is not bestowed in drafting the final reports/charge-sheets. Defective charge-sheets without narration of all relevant facts and charge-sheets unaccompanied by annexures are reported to be very common and tend to delay the proceedings. This important document which is normally prepared by a 'Writer' at the Police Station, is not carefully scrutinized by the Station House Officer. The 'Writer' posted at heavy Police Stations is overworked and can hardly spare the needed time.

(v) The photographs of accused (not to speak of witnesses) are not affixed to the charge-sheets/arrest Memos etc. nor even the identification marks are noted, making it difficult to identify the accused in the course of trial or to trace the absconding accused.