Police should reach crime scene in less than 10 minutes: HC

New Delhi, Jun 1: The Delhi High Court today said that the police team should reach the crime scene before the current time of ten minutes so that citizens of the national capital feel they are in safe hands.

The court said that maximum response time should be "like a pizza boy delivering the stuff faster than the guaranteed half an hour".

A bench of justices B D Ahmed and R K Gauba said that the "police will have to earn the faith of the public that they are always there for them in need". "We are concerned over the response time of the police team in reaching the crime spot," the court said adding that "they should reach quickly in order to give guarantee to citizens of Delhi that they are safe here."

The court said "the response time as given by you (police) is very important. It is to check the efficiency of the police. You will have to ensure that you reach the crime scene before ten minutes."

The bench gave the direction on the submissions made by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain who, while reading the affidavit file by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said that to "ensure safety and security of women in the national capital, response time of the Delhi police to distress calls reportedly reduced to 10 minutes".

"The response time of police should be known to everyone so that the citizens here are aware that the police are always there on time at the crime scenes," it added. It asked the police to file an affidavit with regard to the concern raised by it.

It also expressed concern over the way the police team is detecting the crime, saying in most of the cases the criminals "go scot free due to absence of strong evidence, like proper photos of crime scenes and lack of forensic experts".

The bench said that the police team should comprise "experts, including a forensic pathologist, who determine the cause of death by examining a corpse". It said the Centre, AIIMS, Delhi government and municipal bodies here should file an affidavit before July 27 indicating whether there is any forensic pathologist working in their hospitals.

The court's direction came during a hour-long hearing of a PIL initiated by it after the December 16, 2012 gangrape case, in which it has been giving directions from time to time with regard to improving crime investigation and protection of women in the national capital.

PTI