A month after history-sheeter Salim Sheikh was arrested in connection with the murder of Nehru Nagar resident Karishma Mane, the police are yet to subject him to narco analysis. The reason: the Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Kalina employs experts and technicians on a contract, which expired in April and is yet to be renewed.
On May 24, Ms. Mane (24) was on her way to work when she was stabbed near the Suman Nagar flyover and succumbed at Surana Hospital in Chembur half-an-hour later. The Nehru Nagar police arrested Sheikh on June 12. However, in the absence of any evidence against him, the police were granted permission on June 19 to subject him to narco analysis.
Police sources said after obtaining permission, they wrote to the FSL seeking a date and time for the tests, after which they learnt that the contract for the experts had expired in April. The FSL has already sought the State government’s permission to fill the vacancies. The police are concerned that Sheikh might get bail before the process is complete. Sheikh has been in judicial custody for close to a month. The police in his interrogation and parallel inquiries, have uncovered neither a motive behind the murder nor any incriminating evidence against him.
Director General of Police (Legal and Technical) Prabhat Ranjan said, “A total of 164 posts were recently vacated after their contracts ran out, and we have only this month received sanction from the State government to fill those. This will be done by either renewing the contracts or hiring new experts.”
B.B. Daundkar, Joint Director, FSL, said, “We have applied for sanction to offer increased remuneration in the new contracts and are expecting it soon. We will be giving out advertisements for the vacant posts in a couple of days. I am aware of the Nehru Nagar police’s application for narco analysis, and it will be done in the next 10 to 15 days.”
