At least 80 people accused of consuming liquor were acquitted by a court in Rajkot during July alone after the prosecution failed to produce mandatory Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports proving that the accused had consumed alcohol beyond the legally permitted limit.
The acquittals came after the court found that the police had filed chargesheets without submitting the required forensic evidence, making it impossible to establish the offence under law.
Many of the cases were disposed of on the same day the chargesheets were filed, while several others were closed within a few days.
Court Disposes of 80 Cases in One Month
The cases were heard by Principal Senior Civil Judge V. K. Bansal, who disposed of at least 80 liquor-related cases during July.
On one occasion alone, the court disposed of more than 40 cases after observing that the prosecution had failed to place essential forensic evidence on record.
In each of these cases, the court made similar observations regarding the absence of crucial FSL reports.
FSL Report Is Mandatory to Prove Alcohol Consumption
The court explained that simply accusing a person of consuming liquor is not enough to secure a conviction.
Under the law, the prosecution must produce legally admissible scientific evidence showing that the alcohol concentration in the accused person’s blood exceeded 0.05%, the statutory limit.
This evidence is provided through a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, which confirms the blood-alcohol content. However, in these cases, no such reports were submitted along with the chargesheets.
Without the FSL reports, the court said it could not legally presume that the accused had consumed alcohol beyond the prescribed limit. As a result, the accused were acquitted.
Chargesheets Filed Without Waiting for Test Results
According to sources, investigating police officers were responsible for obtaining the forensic reports before filing the chargesheets.
Instead, the police allegedly filed the chargesheets without waiting for the laboratory reports. The court observed that this hurried approach weakened the prosecution’s case from the beginning.
Without scientific evidence supporting the allegations, the charges could not be sustained.
Public Prosecutor Highlights Procedural Lapse
Assistant Public Prosecutor J. V. Joshi also acknowledged the importance of the missing reports. He said the court cannot take cognisance of such offences unless a mandatory FSL report is available.
According to him, the police should avoid rushing to file chargesheets and instead focus on completing the investigation properly and collecting all necessary evidence. He stressed that following the correct legal procedure would help prevent such acquittals in future.
Court Raises Concerns Over Blood Sample Handling
Apart from the missing reports, the court also pointed out another important concern.
It observed that there was no way to determine whether the blood samples had actually reached the forensic laboratory or whether they had been preserved, transported and tested according to the required procedure.
Without proof that proper procedures had been followed, the reliability of the evidence itself became questionable.
How the Procedure Is Supposed to Work
The prescribed procedure for alcohol-related offences involves several steps.
After a person is detained on suspicion of consuming liquor, the individual is taken to a hospital.
A doctor collects a blood sample, which is then sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar for testing.
The blood sample must reach the laboratory within seven days of collection. Authorities are also required to strictly follow safeguards related to:
Collection of the blood sample.
Proper preservation.
Safe transportation.
Scientific testing.
These procedures are designed to prevent tampering, contamination or deterioration that could affect the accuracy of the test results.
Missing Evidence Leads to Acquittals
The court concluded that without the mandatory forensic reports and proper documentation regarding the handling of blood samples, there was insufficient evidence to prove the charges against the accused.
As a result, at least 80 people booked for alleged liquor consumption were acquitted in July, highlighting the importance of scientific evidence and proper investigation in criminal cases.
The ruling also serves as a reminder that procedural lapses during investigation can significantly weaken prosecution cases, even in offences where arrests and charges have already been made.
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