Despite HC order police didn’t submit list of cops who didn’t ensure DNA tests in rape cases

Madhya Pradesh police was pulled up by state High Court for not listing the policemen who failed to ensure mandatory DNA test in nearly 17% rape cases that took place between July 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019.

The Madhya Pradesh police was pulled up by the state High Court for not listing the policemen who failed to ensure mandatory DNA test in nearly 17% rape cases that took place between July 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019.

The principal bench of the High Court at Jabalpur had asked the state police on April 2 this year to submit the list of officers who failed to conduct the mandatory test. The order had come in the light of a rape accused’s bail petition in the high court that there was no eye-witness to the crime and police didn’t go for a DNA test either.

According to the police’s reply in the court submitted on a couple of days back the compulsory DNA test was not carried out in as many as 731 rape cases out of 4,359 in 9 months, however, it didn’t name the officers who didn’t ensure the test.

A single-judge bench of justice Atul Sreedharan had on May 2016, ordered the then director-general of police, Madhya Pradesh to ensure compulsory DNA tests in rape cases while observing, “It has been seen that in a number of cases relating to rape, the most powerful investigative tool which is available to the police is the DNA test which is seldom being resorted to.” The bench had said, “The DNA report can either confirm or exclude the involvement of the accused.”

When contacted additional director general of police (crimes against women) Anvesh Manglam said, “It was a massive exercise and we went through each and every of 4,359 cases to see whether or not DNA tests were done.”

He said, “It’s also not possible to say in how many cases challans were filed by police without a DNA test report or any accused was acquitted in absence of any such report in the past few years.”

However, he said, a tough action would be taken against the cops who failed to ensure DNA tests in rape cases and those who filed the challan without the DNA tests reports.

“We are very serious about it. No criminal should be allowed to get the advantage of any lapse during the investigation. It is our duty to ensure a full-proof investigation.”

(With input from Monika Pandey in Jabalpur)