Punjab and Haryana HC slams AAP govt, asks for expense details after highlighting lack of basic facilities in forensic labs

In an embarrassing turn of events for the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the state government’s Chief Secretary to provide details of the expenses on While hearing a regular bail plea by one Vinay Kumar in a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances case on 21st January 2025, Justice Sandeep Moudgil said, “The State Government, through its Chief Secretary is directed to furnish a detail of expenses met out in this running financial year i.e. While multiple affidavits were filed informing about the allocation of funds and its usage in the upgradation of FSLs and recruitment of analysts etc, the Secretary, Government of Punjab, Department of Home Affairs and Justice also filed an affidavit dated 12.04.2023 in CRM-A-2300-MA-2017 stating that all the four established FSLs/RFSLs are being upgraded, however, the court observed that it nothing but a “farce” as despite the tall claims of fund allocation and expenditure for upgradation of forensic labs in Punjab, when the CD is present petitioner Vinay Kumar’s case was sent to FSL, phase IV -SAS Nagar, Mohali for examination but the same was returned back the CIA, Tarn Taran with the remark/ report dated 22.08.2024 that “facility for examination of video/DVR/CCTV does not exist in the Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab.” High Court miffed over lack of basic necessities in FSL labs Due to this, the state counsel sought a short adjournment to comply with the court’s order dated 9th August 2024. The court noted that “budget requirement and sanctioning of the same could have been expedited within a few hours or in a couple of days had the State Government shown its willingness to armour itself with the modern investigative/scientific techniques, especially, in this digital and artificial intelligence era.” Further reprimanding the Aam Aadmi Party government, the High Court said, “By no stretch of imagination, the State could take a stand of shortage of funds or budget allocation for the purpose which is involved in the instant petition i.e. HC seeks details of expenditure from AAP govt The High Court ordered the CM Bhagwant Mann-led state government to furnish details of its expenditure in current financial year on the publication of “Hence, the State Government, through its Chief Secretary is directed to furnish a detail of expenses met out in this running financial year i.e.