Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya wants to know why the Forensic Science Laboratory in Shillong stopped running DNA tests. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh issued the order on August 11. Testing stalled because the lab ran out of necessary chemicals. A requisition for new supplies sits with the state government, ignored and pending.
Director of Forensic Sciences Tangchiring K Sangma filed an affidavit on the mess. The court took it on record. The Amicus Curiae needs more time to look over the paperwork. Judges are now pushing the Advocate General for immediate clarity on the supply chain.
This case started as a Suo Motu PIL after a Supreme Court ruling in Sunny Chauhan v. State of Haryana. "The court is also examining existing mechanisms for sharing status reports," officials noted during the hearing. The judges are looking at two main problems. They want to fix the FSL infrastructure and speed up how fast detectives get their reports back in criminal cases.
Court officials also want better data flow. They are weighing the feasibility of a digital police portal. This system would ensure forensic data reaches judges before hearings start. No one knows when the chemicals will finally arrive.
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