Agartala, Sept. 5: The Tripura home department has decided to send a reminder to the National Laboratory of Forensic Science (NLFS) in Chandigarh to expedite the examination of the skeletal remains recovered from the septic tank of chief minister Manik Sarkar?s official residence.

Over eight months have passed since the skeletal remains were sent to the Chandigarh laboratory by the state CID unit, following a court order. However, the laboratory has not yet submitted any report regarding the identity and the nature of death of the victim to the state government.

?The skeletal remains were sent to the Chandigarh lab on January 21 this year following an order passed by the chief judicial magistrate?s court but no report has so far been received,? an official source in the home department said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources said the report was supposed to be filed within three months. But in April, May and June the laboratory authorities sought extension of time from the home department, citing the complicated and difficult nature of the tests that had to be conducted.

Sources said the government was facing problems on the issue because of queries from the chief judicial magistrate?s court.

?We have now decided to ask the laboratory authorities to expedite things so that we can make our position clear on the issue to the CJM court,? a source said. He added that a reminder would be sent soon and if it did not yield the desired results, a team of CID officials would visit Chandigarh to discuss the issue with the laboratory authorities.

On January 4 this year, workers of the Agartala Municipal Council discovered the remains of a skeleton in the septic tank of the chief minister?s official residence.

The skeleton, which had a red bangle round its wrist, was possibly of a sex worker.

Realising that the issue would be politicised by the Opposition, the chief minister initially decided to have the matter investigated by the CID but within hours, he ordered a CBI investigation. After a decision in this regard was taken by the state cabinet, chief secretary R.K. Mathur addressed a letter to the Union home ministry seeking a CBI investigation into the case.

In March, however, the CBI told the Tripura government that since the case did not have an inter-state dimension, it would best be investigated by the CID.

The Opposition parties, which seized on the issue shortly after it was reported, are preparing to raise it afresh in the forthcoming monsoon session of the state Assembly.