Post-SC order on narco tests,state FSL breathes easy

Sheeva Vaya,Additional Director of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences at FSL,said,“Although the number of applications has dropped,we do not expect a revenue loss. We are taking this ban as more of a respite to finish pending tests and prepare good reports on probes.”

The FSL has mainly done narco analysis for other states,especially in high profile cases like the Nithari killings (in Noida,UP) and the Aarushi murder case recently,for the CBI.

The tests are conducted for Rs 30,000 for other states. Those not wanting to wait for long can get the tests done early by paying Rs 50,000. FSL experts,however,maintain that earlier also all tests were conducted only with the consent of the accused as the outcome depend on their mental preparedness. “We refuse to conduct the tests when pressurised to do so,” Vaya said.

Tests and investigation

Forensic experts believe that narco and polygraph tests are very helpful in investigations. A senior FSL official said there are often cases in which nothing else can help the investigators. “In one instance,a rapist had left samples of semen stolen from a laboratory (at the crime scene) to mislead the police. In murder cases,many criminals now tend to plant unrelated blood samples. In such cases,narco tests help a lot,” said the official. Another FSL expert,requesting anonymity,said,“The test induce fear among the accused knowing that even if they escape with physical evidences,they cannot fool in psychological tests.”